L
l
ENERGY
NORTHWEST
OKLAHOMA
1910-1930
Editor:
George
o.
Assistant Editors:
Funded By:
Carney
Bryan C. Brown
Debra K. Brown
John S. Colburn
Judy M. Hettich
Margaret C. Lemke
Oklahoma State University (College of Arts and Sciences)
Oklahoma Historical Society (State Historic
Preservation Division)
National Park Service (U.S. Department of Interior)
Acknowledgement of Support
The activity that is the subject of this publication has been financed in
part with Federal funds from the National Park Service, Depart~ent of the
Interior. However, the contents and opinions do not necessarily reflect
the views or policies of the Department of the Interior, nor does the
mention of trade names or commercial products constitute endorsement or
recommendation by the Department of the Interior.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Many residents of the ten counties in Northwest Oklahoma (Study Unit II)
made this research report possible through their support and cooperation. I
would like to take this opportunity to express my appreciation to all those
individuals and organizations who provided vital information concerning
historic properties and who contributed their time to my efforts. These
Oklahomans have been cited in Appendix C.
Several members of the faculty, staff, and administration at Oklahoma
State University deserve recognition because of their contributions to my
research during the past year.
Frances Hays (Geography)
Susan Shaull (Geography)
Richard Hecock (Geography)
Gayle Maxwell (Cartographic Services)
Debbie Hickman (Arts and Sciences Business Office)
Jan Madole (Arts and Sciences Business Office)
Anne Schneider (Research Director - College of Arts and Sciences)
Neil Hackett (Associate Dean - College of Arts and Sciences)
Smith Holt (Dean - College of Arts and Sciences)
I am deeply indebted to the Historic Preservation Division of the
Oklahoma Historical Society for their advice, cooperation, and guidance.
Earle Metcalf (State Historic Preservation Officer)
Melvena Heisch (Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer)
Finally, a special note of gratitude to five geography department
graduate students who, through their untiring work, made this a successful
project.
Deb Brown
Judy Hettich
Bryan Brown
John Colburn
Margaret Lemke
I sincerely hope that the results of this project will prove useful in
historic preservation planning and provide a framework for resource management
decisions in Study Unit II. Furthermore, I hope that suitable measures will
be taken to protect the historic properties which have been identified and
evaluated in Study Unit II.
George O. Carney, Ph.D.
Project Director
Oklahoma State University
Stillwater, Oklahoma 74078
May, 1986
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter
I.
II.
III.
L
IV.
V.
Page
RESEARCH DESIGN
1
HISTORIC CONTEXT FOR STUDY UNIT II .
13
OKLAHOMA LANDMARKS INVENTORY NOMINATIONS
27
NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES NOMINATIONS .
37
SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS
85
APPENDIX A - BIBLIOGRAPHY
. . . . . .
103
APPENDIX B - REGIONAL ANALYSIS OF STUDY UNIT II AND RECENT
U.S. CENSUS DATA
111
APPENDIX C - LOCAL INFORMANTS
127
LIST OF FIGURES
Figures
Page
1.
RP3 STUDY UNITS IN OKLAHOMA
4
2.
STUDY UNIT II IN OKLAHOMA . .
5
3.
OIL POOLS IN STUDY UNIT II (1910-1930)
16
4.
PRODUCTION OF PRINCIPAL OIL PRODUCING STATES:
1910-1930
.
25
5.
NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES NOMINATIONS
IN STUDY UNIT II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
92
RELATIONSHIP OF STUDY UNIT II TO SUB-STATE PLANNING
DISTRICTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
99
6.
LIST OF TABLES
L
L
Page
Table
1.
PRIOR IDENTIFICATION OF HISTORIC PROPERTIES IN STUDY
UNIT II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2.
STATISTICAL RESULTS OF RP3 SURVEY:
STUDY UNIT II
3.
NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES NOMINATIONS BY
COUNTY: STUDY UNIT II
. . . . . . . . . . .
8
89
91
Research Design:
Objectives and Methods
RESEARCH DESIGN
After successful completion of the RP3 plan for Study Unit V in 1984, the
Department of Geography at Oklahoma State University continued to use the
L
energy theme for 1985.
After careful examination of RP3 Study Units
(Figure 1), two proposals were developed for Study Units II and III.
The
State Historic Preservation Office approved the proposal for Study Unit II, a
L
group of ten counties in northwest Oklahoma (Figure 2).
Study Unit II was
selected because:
(1)
It contained thirteen major petroleum-producing pools opened and
developed prior to 1930.
Among the largest were Tonkawa, Blackwell,
Garber, Billings, Ponca, Newkirk-Mervine, Deer Creek, and Thomas
I
(Figure 3).
~
(2)
Based on archival research, Study Unit II included a significant
number of energy-related resources.
Attention would be given to
industrial properties (production camps, pipeline stations, gas processing plants, oil refineries, and oil and gas wells), commercial
buildings associated with energy development, and dwellings resided
in by petroleum executives.
(3)
Although the emergence of boom towns was not as prevalent in Study
Unit II as in other areas of the state, there was phenomenal growth
in the existing communities during the time period, 1910-1930.
For
example, Ponca City, more than doubled its population from 1920 to
1930.
Chronological limits for the project were based on historical evidence
which indicated the peak production years for the thirteen petroleum fields in
Study Unit II occurred during the time frame of 1910 to 1930.
Although some
exploration took place prior to 1910 and production activity continued after
3
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1930, the 1910-1930 period spanned the opening of the major fields to the
early stages of declining production.
The Ponca Field was opened in 1910.
It
was followed by Newkirk-Mervine (1913), Blackwell (1914), Billings and Garber
(1917), Deer Creek (1920), Tonkawa (1921), Thomas and Braman (1924), and
Vernon (1925).
More than sixty years had elapsed since the discovery of the
Vernon Field, the last of the major pools to be opened in Study Unit II.
In developing the research design for the 1985 project, we again adhered
to the state plan as close as possible.
provided a great deal of flexibility.
As in 1984, we found the state plan
The energy theme was flexible enough to
allow emphasis on petroleum (oil and gas) and no guidelines were imposed on
extending the energy theme to include all metallic and non-metallic minerals.
Nor were there any preconceived definitions presented on the types of historic
resources that were to be included under the energy theme.
Chronological
limits of the study were established by the subgrantee based on historic
context research.
Approval without question was given by the state office.
Study unit boundary problems, which were experienced in the 1984 South
Central Study Unit, were not evident in Study Unit II.
None of the petroleum
fields overlapped into other study units.
Objectives and Methods of Project:
(1)
Project director prepared timetable for
proj~ct
beginning June 1,
1985 through May 31, 1986.
(2)
A training workshop was held May 30, 1985 for project staff (project
director and three research assistants).
Agenda items included use
of cameras and development of prints, distribution of survey forms,
explanation of filing system, travel itineraries for field workers,
press release handouts, and procedure for establishing local
contacts.
6
(3)
A list of historic and cultural resources associated with the energy
theme was compiled from archival research findings and distributed
to each field worker.
a.
Included were:
Industrial structures related to petroleum such as drilling equipment and derricks, production units, storage
~
facilities and tank farms, refineries and processing
plants, and transportation facilities such as pipelines
and loading racks.
b.
Industrial buildings related to petroleum including company offices, company camps, maintenance garages, well
service facilities, and company housing.
c.
Petroleum boomtowns including working class housing,
e.g., shotguns and pyramidals; residence of families in
the petroleum business; commercial buildings such as
hotels/boarding houses, banks, and other buildings
resulting from boomtown development; social institutions
such as churches, schools, and lodges which were constructed to accommodate boomtown growth; and transportation facilities constructed during boomtown development,
e.g., railroad depots.
(4)
Project director reviewed existing survey material completed at the
local and state level for Study Unit II.
A list of Oklahoma Land-
marks Inventory and National Register nominations was distributed
to each field worker for their respective counties.
Workshop dis-
cussion focussed on an analysis of these previously identified
historic resources.
A total of 220 properties had been placed on
the Oklahoma Landmarks Inventory.
7
Of these, 63 were National
Table 1
PRIOR IDENTIFICATION OF HISTORIC PROPERTIES IN STUDY UNIT II
N.R.
O.L.I.
Name of County
Energy Theme
-----
---Alfalfa
18
9
0
Ellis
31
9
1
Garfield
37
5
3
Grant
13
2
0
Harper
23
9
1
Kay
45
19
3
Major
8
1
0
Noble
19
4
0
Woods
13
3
0
Woodward
13
2
0
220
63
8
Totals
Energy-related properties included:
Kay County (E. W. Marland Mansion,* Marland Estate Stables, and
Three Sands Site)
Garfield County (H. H. Champlin Home, Champlin Refining Properties, and
Knox Building)
Ellis County (Flight Service Station)
Harper County (George's Oil Supply Station)
*
National Register of Historic Places
SOURCE:
State Historic Preservation Office, 1985
8
Register Properties.
Eight of the 220 properties previously identi-
fied in Study Unit II were related to energy (Table 1).
(5)
Project director compiled bibliography on the ten study unit counties, especially those sources dealing with energy theme and 19101930 time frame.
Several general works on the history of petroleum
in Oklahoma were also included to place petroleum history of Study
Unit II in the context of statewide energy development history
(Appendix A).
Bibliographical sources included theses and disserta-
tions, books and journal articles, and government documents.
This
preliminary archival research was conducted in the Oklahoma State
University Library.
Bibliographical materials were distributed and
discussed during workshop.
(6)
Recent U.S. Census data were collected from the 1983 City-County
Data Book in order to obtain an overall picture of the ten county
study unit.
Data were organized in tabular form according to
population characteristics, per capita and median family income,
housing, manufacturing, wholesale and retail trade, agriculture,
and mineral industries.
The latter statistic gave some indication
of current levels of petroleum activity in the study unit.
Tables
in Appendix B were distributed to field workers at the workshop.
(7)
Further archival research was conducted by field workers in each
county during the period of June 3-14, 1985.
Focus of this research
was on sources unavailable in the preliminary university library
search such as city and county histories, industrial and business
records, city commercial directories, back issues of local
newspapers, and historic plat maps of study unit towns.
9
(8)
A reconnaissance survey of the ten counties was conducted by the
three field workers from June 17-28 in order to gain an overall perspective of the study unit.
The list of expected historic and cul-
tural resources associated with the energy theme (No. 3 of this outline) was checked to determine the need and type of further identification work in the study unit counties.
Based on this initial
"windshield" survey, a set of priority counties was developed based
on the absence or presence of expected property types.
Those coun-
ties deemed worthy' of intensive surveying included Garfield, Kay,
Noble, and Grant.
Alfalfa, Ellis, Harper, Major, Woods, and Wood-
ward were given low priority for additional resurveying.
In addi-
tion to setting priorities for the counties, field workers established a list of local informants including local history buffs,
county and city historical societies, and petroleum workers and
industries (Appendix C).
Press releases were submitted to county
seat newspapers in each of the priority counties in order to explain
purpose of survey, sponsoring agencies, names of field workers and
project director, and types of historic and cultural resources being
surveyed.
This technique proved immensely valuable because local
agencies such as Chambers of Commerce and county historical society
offices offered their services in obtaining information.
Further-
more, the newspaper stories aroused public interest in the project
and made local citizens aware of the presence of field workers in
their communities.
(9)
Intensive surveys of the four priority counties were conducted from
July 1 - August 16, 1985.
One field worker was reassigned from six
10
low priority counties to one high priority county -- Noble.
During
the period, identification and evaluation of specific historic properties related to the energy theme was conducted.
L
Twenty-one his-
toric properties were deemed eligible for National Register consideration and 58 properties met qualifications for listing on Oklahoma
Landmarks Inventory (Chapters V and VI).
Documentation for historic
properties was collected including legal descriptions, sketches and
L
measurements, verbal boundaries, photographs, construction dates,
and other information on the significance and integrity.
A file for
each property was prepared.
(10)
From September 3 to December 31, 1985, project staff reviewed files
on all O.L.I. and National Register properties.
O.L.I. forms were
completed and submitted to the State Historic Preservation Office
for consideration.
Several steps were followed in completing files
on the National Register properties:
a.
Topographic maps were ordered and labeled.
b.
UTMs were computed.
c.
Photograph negatives/contact sheets were reviewed and
decisions made on development of B/W prints.
d.
More formal sketch maps, if necessary, were prepared in
cartography lab (thematic and district nominations).
e.
Several photos were taken because of vegetation problems
during summer field work.
f.
Lack of historical documentation on several properties required
further archival research and some additional field work.
(11)
From January 2 to March 31, 1986, final drafts of description and
significance statements for National Register properties were
11
written.
All National Register forms were typed and submitted to
State Historic Preservation Office.
Analyzed new identification
information and placed it into historic context of project, categorized property types to determine if preliminary list was correct,
and evaluated survey techniques to see if adequate coverage of study
unit was given.
(12)
From April 1 to May 31, preparation and completion of final RP3
report was undertaken.
project.
Staff reviewed entire procedure of RP3
A set of recommendations was compiled for integration of
results into overall preservation plan for Oklahoma.
Results to be
printed and disseminated to various local, regional, and state
agencies for future planning activities.
12
L
Historical Context for Study Unit II
-
----------------------------
ENERGY DEVELOPMENT IN STUDY UNIT II:
HISTORIC CONTEXT
Petroleum history in the northwest/north central regions of Oklahoma
began in late 1907, the year of statehood.
In December of that year, E. W.
Marland, a Pennsylvania oil operator, brought an interested group to visit Kay
County to investigate the potential for oil.
Impressed with the Ponca area,
he secured a lease from the Miller Brothers and started a well in February,
1909.
This was the first well west of the Osage and a variety of problems
were encountered.
Moving equipment and materials was a primary concern
because the nearest supply house was located at Tulsa, 120 miles to the
southeast.
The initial well never reached the producing sand, was abandoned, and
another started five miles away.
ing in the spring of 1910.
This second well, a gasser, started produc-
At this time, Marland organized the 101 Ranch Oil
Company which continued operations until 1917.
This company developed the
1,500' sand formation, drilling eight gas wells before oil was struck.
The
first oil well was the Willie Cry No.1 located in the SE 1/4, Section 8,
T25N, R2E.
This became known as the Ponca Field and it expanded into Sections
4, 5, 7, 9, 17, 18, and 19, T25N, R2E in Kay County.
In 1917 Marland reorganized the 101 Ranch Oil Company and it was thereafter known as the Marland Oil and Gas Company with headquarters centered in
Ponca City.
Marland Oil leased all the acreage in the Ponca Field and devel-
oped two more sand formations by 1918.
These were at depths of 1,800' and
2,100' (See Figure 3 for location of Ponca Field).
The next field to be opened in Study Unit II was the Newkirk-Mervine pool
located in Sections 2, 3, 10, 11, 14, and 15, T27N. R3E and Section 35, T28N,
R3E in Kay County.
The first important oil well was drilled in 1913 on the
Murdock Farm in the NE corner of SE 1/4, Section 2, T27N, R3E.
15
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Oil POOL
OIL POOLS IN STUDY UNIT II : 1910 -1930
N
initial production of 100 barrels per day and resulted in the discovery of
several additional wells which produced 500-1,000 barrels per day.
The Murdock No. 1 Well was the first oil well to be drilled on a
published structure made by the Oklahoma Geological Survey in 1913.
These
early wells, however, were not big producers and interest in the area lagged
until 1918 when the Carter Oil Company and the Southwestern Petroleum Company
drilled a well on the McClasky Farm in the NW corner, SW 1/4, NE 1/4, Section
15, T27N, R3E.
In December of 1918, the Carter-Hays No.3 in Section 15 came
in with an initial production of 2,000 barrels per day.
These two wells were
drilled at a depth of 3,100-3,200'.
Late in 1916, Marland Oil opened the North Newkirk Field with a 28
million feet gas well on the McMichael Farm in Section 17, T28N. R3E.
The gas
from this well was used to supply the towns of Ponca City, Newkirk, Kildare,
and Tonkawa for about three years.
The discovery of gas resulted in further
drilling and two major oil wells were discovered in 1919 in the Chilocco area.
There were eventually five producing horizons in the Newkirk-Mervine Field:
Newkirk, Hoover, Endicott, Stalnaker, and Burbank (See Figure 3 for location
of Newkirk-Mervine Field).
Although some drilling had occurred as early as 1912, the first real interest in the Blackwell Field started in 1914.
Marland and others developed
the north end of the field which resulted in 21 gas wells out of 37 completions.
The first oil well was drilled in NE corner, Section 29, T29N, R1E and
made 600 barrels per day.
It is not known who discovered the Blackwell Field,
however, it created expansion five miles to the south of the first well.
The
most productive well was drilled by the Duluth-Oklahoma Company which produced
a half million barrels within a year.
It was located in Section 1, T28N, RIW.
There were eight producing horizons in the Blackwell Field (See Figure 3 for
location of Blackwell Field).
17
One of the smallest and slowest developing fields in the study unit was
Billings.
County.
It was located in Sections 15, 16, 21 and 22, T23N. R2W, Noble
The first well was drilled in 1917 and produced 250 barrels at a
depth of 2,136'.
Most of the oil and gas wells in this field had a large
initial production, but quickly declined.
about one square mile.
The producing area was limited to
In 1922, the field's daily output was 1,158 barrels
from 73 wells (See Figure 3).
One of the major fields in the study unit was opened in September of
1917.
Because of its location midway between the communities of Covington and
Garber, it became known as the Covington-Garber Field.
The discovery well was
brought in on the R. E. Hoy Farm in the NE corner, Section 25, T22N, R4W,
Garfield County.
The Garber Brothers, general store operators in the town of
Garber, hired a California geologist by the name of Dorsey Hager to explore
leases they held on several farms between Garber and Covington.
Hager con-
vinced Harry Sinclair that potential for petroleum existed in the area and the
Hoy No. 1 Well was brought in with an initial 100 barrels per day.
This first
well was drilled to a depth of 1,130-56' and produced from the "Hoy Sand," so
named because of its location on the Hoy Farm.
The development of the field proceeded rapidly following completion of
the Sinclair Well.
Several major companies immediately started drilling in-
cluding Roxana Petroleum, Healdton Oil and Gas, Cos den Oil and Gas, Marland
Oil, and Atlantic Petroleum.
The largest initial production of any well in
Oklahoma to that date was recorded by the Hartley No. 27 drilled by Sinclair
Oil and Gas.
Located in the NW 1/4, NW 1/4, Section 18, T12N. R3W, it pro-
duced up to 27,000 barrels per day at a depth of 3,085'.
Eventually, the
Garber-Covington Field produced from eighteen different sands and cumulative
production reached almost 19 million barrels by 1925.
18
During the latter part of 1917, the Garber-Covington Field reached a
daily output of 2,000 barrels and quadrupled its yield two years later.
By
the end of 1918 the field had 760 producing wells in a relatively small area
located in Sections 18 and 19, T22N, R3W and Sections 13 and 24, T22N, R4W,
Garfield County.
The field became one of the most profitable in Oklahoma
petroleum history because of the shallowness of the sands and the large number
of producing horizons (See Figure 3 for location of the Garber-Covington
Field) •
The Deer Creek Field was opened in July of 1920 when a gas well, drilled
to a depth of 2,440', produced 18 million feet of gas.
deepened to 3,350' and produced 10 barrels of oil.
This well was later
The first major oil well
was drilled by Western States Land and Development Company in the SW corner,
SE 1/4, SE 1/4, Section 15.
Its initial production was 450 barrels per day.
The field was located in Sections 14, 15, 22, 23, 26, and 27, T27N, R3W, Grant
County.
Because of the geological structure of Deer Creek, its main
production was gas with small amounts of oil (See Figure 3 for location of the
Deer Creek Field).
The Tonkawa Field was the next field in the study unit to assume major
proportions.
This area had been explored in the early 1880s by a Professor
Bowers of the Department of Interior.
During the Osage boom, "Spot" Geyer,
one of Marland's geologists, determined that the Tonkawa anticline was an
ideal location to drill.
Marland encountered problems selling leases in the
area because several dry holes had already been drilled and other geologists
disagreed with Geyer's analysis.
Marland was joined by Cos den Oil and a test was made in the NE corner,
Section 16, T24N, RIW.
On June 29, 1921 the well came in, flowing initially
850-1,000 barrels a day from a sand at 2,661'.
19
The second well was drilled
three months later with an initial production of 3,300 barrels.
drilled eight previous wells in the area with no luck.
determination paid dividends.
Marland had
As usual, Marland's
The J. H. Smith School Land Well No.1 proved
to be the beginning of the Tonkawa Field.
The Tonkawa Field was a profitable field from the outset.
By April of
1922 enough oil had been produced to pay for all operating costs, the total
output having reached 675,000 barrels.
Although the first well was in the
southernmost part of the field, the northern section was to become the major
producer.
There were three main producing sands (Upper Hoover at
1,900-2,000', the lower Hoover at 2,100', and the Tonkawa at 2,625') giving
the field its popular name of "Three Sands."
Later several other oil sands
were found.
Development of the deeper sands in the Tonkawa Field began with the completion of Slick No. lA in the SW corner of Section 35, T25N, RIW in April of
1924.
The Wilcox Sand at 4,100' was a significant producer.
Total Wilcox
Sand production to January 1, 1926 was 28,305,000 barrels, an average of
21,443 barrels per acre over the 1,320 acres that produced oil from this horizon.
Similar production from shallow sands to the same date was 49,258,000
barrels, an average of 18,729 barrels over 2,630 acres (See Figure 3 for location of Tonkawa Field).
The Thomas Field is located in the center of T25N, R2W of Kay County,
about 6 miles northwest of the Tonkawa Field.
Marland Oil Company's Thomas
No.1, the discovery well, was completed in May, 1924 as a 250 barrel well in
sand encountered at a depth of 2,055', which was thereafter called the Thomas
Sand.
Following this initial discovery, drilling was limited.
Only two addi-
tional wells, Twin State Oil Company's Siler No. 1 and Carter Oil Company's
20
Turk No.1, were found at the Thomas Sand.
Marland's Thomas No.2 well, how-
ever, was drilled deeper, and in May of 1925, was completed as a 3,600' well
in the Wilcox Sand.
A second drilling campaign was begun.
It resulted in the
discovery of eleven producing wells in the Wilcox Sand, and three more producing horizons.
The major production from the Thomas Field came from the Wilcox Sand.
Initial production of the wells from this horizon ranged as high as 6,500
barrels per day.
By 1927 the field had produced 3 million barrels of oil and
averaged approximately 7,000 barrels per day (See Figure 3 for location of
Thomas Field).
Several other minor pools were discovered in Kay County during the
mid-1920s.
The Otstot Field, located just north of the center of T27N, RIW,
produced large quantities of gas.
Average production for the oil wells was
100-500 barrels and for the gas wells about 50 million cubic feet.
The Retta
Field, located in Sections 1 and 12, T26N, R2W, produced at four horizons with
the Wilcox Sand being the most prolific.
In January, 1927, eight wells in the
Wilcox Sand produced an aggregate of 4,000 barrels per day.
The Vernon Field
discovery wells came in during 1925 and were primarily gas producers at a
depth of 2,000'.
Later wells averaged 100-300 barrels of oil from the
Stalnaker Sand at 2,300'.
It was located in Sections 16 and 17, T29N, RIE.
The North and South Braman Fields were opened in 1924.
North Braman was
located in Section 21, T29N, RIW and South Braman in Sections 5 and 8, T28N,
RIW.
North Braman covered approximately 600 acres with deeper production
confined to an area of about 80 acres.
Initial production from the North
Braman wells averaged about 1,800 barrels.
The discovery well in South Braman
produced over 5,000 barrels of oil in the Stalnaker Sand at 2,387'.
The
excitement caused by this discovery resulted in 33 locations on the Braman
21
townsite of which only three were producers.
Thousands of dollars were lost
and much property destruction occurred due to drilling activities.
By the mid-1920s, attention of the oil world was shifted to a different
section of Oklahoma, the Greater Seminole Oil Field.
In terms of historic
significance, the following summary outlines key contributions of the Study
Unit II petroleum fields during the chronological limits of this study
(1910-1930):
(1)
(2)
Several major petroleum firms were formed including:
a.
E. W. Marland Oil in Ponca City
b.
Lew Wentz Oil Company in Ponca City
c.
Victor Bolene Refining Company in Enid
d.
Charles E. Knox Refining Company in Enid
e.
Thomas T. Eason Oil Company in Enid
f.
H. H. Champlin Petroleum Company in Enid
One of the important mergers in Oklahoma petroleum history occurred
in 1929 when Marland Oil and Continental Oil combined to become
CONOCO with headquarters in Ponca City.
(3)
The huge gas wells discovered in the area resulted in it becoming
one of the greatest casinghead gasoline manufacturing centers in the
U.S.
By 1923 there were eight such plants in the Tonkawa Field and
one in the Garber Field.
During the period from July, 1921 to
September, 1923, 525,000,000 cubic feet of gas had been mudded off
and 112,000,000 shut in.
(4)
The introduction of rotary drilling rigs was necessary in mudding
off the gas in drilling oil wells and conserving gas in others.
Southwestern Petroleum Company used the first
~,otary
The
rigs at Tonka-
wa to solve the problem of gas interference, after which other com-
22
panies followed suit until they were universally used.
(5)
Northwest and north central Oklahoma fields were the first to develop adequate pipelines and storage facilities.
Twenty-six pipelines
carred Tonkawa crude by 1925 and could handle 185,000 barrels per
day.
The fields were also dotted with 55,000 barrel storage tanks,
capable of storing approximately one million barrels of oil.
(6)
Leases in the Study Unit II fields commanded high prices, especially
Tonkawa because of its high gravity oil.
for 40-acre, 80-acre, and 160-acre leases.
Enormous prices were paid
In 1923, the Blackwell
Oil and Gas Company sold its interest in the northern part of the
Tonkawa Field for $2,000,000, or at a rate of $7.00 per share for
approximately 300,000 shares.
By June, 1923, Tonkawa royalty
interests were estimated at $100,000,000.
(7)
The diamond core drill was first used by Marland in the Tonkawa
Field.
Its success there led to increased use throughout the
industry.
(8)
Geologists were used extensively in the Tonkawa and Garber Fields.
"Spot" Geyer, head of Marland's geological staff, was the first to
recognize the potential of the Tonkawa anticline.
Dorsey Hager, a
California geologist working in Tulsa, was hired by the Garber
Brothers to explore the area midway between Covington and Garber.
Hager convinced Harry Sinclair to drill the Hoy No.1, the discovery
well of the Garber Field.
(9)
Dr. Waterschoot von der Gracht, famous Dutch geologist who had worked for the Royal Dutch Shell Oil Company, was hired by E. W. Marland
to head his geology division.
He became Vice-President for Explora-
tion with Marland Oil and brought the seismograph into use in the
23
Oklahoma oil fields.
(10)
The Tonkawa and Garber Fields were unique because of so many producing horizons of oil and gas.
Tonkawa, for example, began production
at a depth of 1,150' and extended to 4,330'.
Horizons included the
Hoy, Hotson,. Newkirk, Upper Hoover, Lower Hoover, Carmichael,
Endicott, Tonkawa, Layton, Oswego, Mississippi, Chattanooga, and
Wilcox.
(11)
Tonkawa became the wonder of the oil world at the time of its discovery and development.
Despite its comparatively small size, it
became one of the most significant producers in Oklahoma petroleum
history.
Although the field covered only about eight square miles,
as many as five derricks might be clustered around one location producing oil from several different horizons.
(12)
The highest daily production in the Tonkawa Field was 112, 112
barrels of oil, and by the end of 1927, the field had produced an
average of 30,000 barrels of oil per acre.
(13)
The oil fields in northwest/north central Oklahoma combined with the
Healdton and Seminole Oil Fields helped continue Oklahoma's dominant
position in the nation in petroleum production during the 1920s
(Figure 4).
24
200
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Figure 4.
OIL PRODUCTION OF THE PRINCIPAL OIL-PRODUCING STATES, 1900-1926
25
List of Oklahoma Landmark
Inventory Nominations
I.
BUILDINGS
A.
Dwellings
(1. )
H. H. Champlin Home
Location: Enid, Oklahoma
Legal or Address: Lots 1-9 and Lots 13-15, Block 2, Kisner
Heights Addition
Date: 1938
Significance: H. H. Champlin built his home with income
generated from his oil business. Both Mr. & Mrs. H. H.
Champlin and Mr. Joe N. Champlin, the next Champlin Oil
Company owner, resided in the house.
(2.)
T. T. Eason Mansion
Location: Enid, Oklahoma
Legal or Address: Lots 1-6, Block 12, Waverly Addition
Date: 1923
Significance: T. T. Eason was President of the Bolene
Refining Company from 1921 to 1928 and began operating the
Eason Oil Company in 1925.
(3.)
McChristy-Knox Mansion
Location: Enid, Oklahoma
Legal or Address: Lots 9-12, Block 12, Waverly Addition
Date: 1904
Significance: J. E. McChristy, a pioneer businessman in
Enid, built the mansion. The home is the oldest remaining
and best preserved example of Neo-Classical architectural
style in Enid.
(4.)
John Alcorn Home
Location: Ponca City, Oklahoma
Legal or Address: Tract 17, Hillcrest Addition
Date: 1923
SIgnificance: John Alcorn was Vice-President of Marland Oil
Company in the 1920s. The home is one of the best rema~n1ng
examples of Colonial Revival architecture in Ponca City.
(5.)
Jack Cleary Mansion
Location: Ponca City, Oklahoma
Legal or Address: Tract 4, Hillcrest Addition
Date: 1923
Significance: Jack Cleary was Vice-President of Land
Acquisition at Marland Oil Company in the 1920s.
29
(6.)
Frank and Blanche Lucas Home
Location: Ponca City, Oklahoma
Legal or Address: Tract 6, Number 11, Hillcrest Addition
Date: 1923
Significance: Frank Lucas served as E. W. Marland's private
secretary. Lucas and his wife, Blanche, were one of the most
politically powerful husband and wife teams in Ponca City
during the 1920s and early 1930s. The house is one of the
best preserved Tudor Period Homes in Ponca City.
(7.)
Sam McKee Home
Location: Tonkawa, Oklahoma
Legal or Address: Lots 1-7, Block 27, Original Townsite
Date: 1923
Significance: Sam McKee attained considerable wealth from
the McKee Lease, one of the most prolific oil leases in the
Tonkawa Field. The house is the oldest and best preserved
example of Prairie Box architecture in Tonkawa.
(8.)
George Shalenberger Mansion
Location: Ponca City, Oklahoma
Legal or Address: Tract 3, Number 5, Hillcrest Addition
Date: 1923
Significance: George Shalenberger was the Vice-President of
Gas Processing at Marland Oil Company. The home is one of
best preserved examples of Tudor Period architecture in Ponca
City.
(9.)
Seward Sheldon Mansion
Location: Ponca City, Oklahoma
Legal or Address: Tract 5, Number 9, Hillcrest Addition
Date: 1923
SIgnificance: Seward Sheldon was Treasurer and member of the
Board of Directors of Marland Oil Company in the 1920s. The
house is one of the best remaining examples of Tudor Period
Homes in Ponca City.
(10.)
W.A.J.M. Van Waterschoot van der Gracht Mansion
Location: Ponca City, Oklahoma
Legal or Address: Tract 18, Number 6, Hillcrest Addition
Date: 1923
Significance: Waterschoot van der Gracht was a Dutch
geologist who served as Vice-President of Exploration for
Marland Oil Company during the 1920s. The house is one of
the best remaining examples of Spanish Colonial Revival
architecture in Ponca City.
30
B.
Churches
(1.)
Community Church of Christ
Location: Garber, Oklahoma
Legal or Address: Lots 1-8, Block 13, Original Townsite
Date: 1923
SIgnificance: George Failing and the Garber family were
instrumental in building the Community Church of Christ.
C.
Commercial
(1.)
Cherokee Water and Gas Company
Location: Cherokee, Oklahoma
Legal or Address: NE 1/4, SE 1/4, Section 11, Township 2
North, Range 26 West
Date: 1910
SIgnificance: The Cherokee Water and Gas Company has been
in continuous operation for over 75 years.
(2.)
Eason Gas Station
Location: Enid, Oklahoma
Legal or Address: Lots 30-32, Block 5, South Side Addition
Date: 1920
SIgnificance: This is the only remaining building associated
with the Eason Oil Compnay in Enid.
(3.)
Covington Lumber Yard
Location: Covington, Oklahoma
Legal or Address: Lots 13-20, Block 20, Original Townsite
Date: 1923
SIgnificance: This is the only remaining lumber yard
constructed during the oil boom in Covington.
(4.)
Garber Hotel
Location: Garber, Oklahoma·
Legal or Address: Lots 1-3, Block 11, Original Townsite
Date: 1920
SIgnificance: The Garber Hotel was used as a permanent
residence by oil executives during the 1920s and 1940s oil
booms.
31
(5.)
Fairview Light and Water Department
Location:
Fairview t Oklahoma
424 South Main Street
~a~ Address:
Date:
1934
Significanc~:
This utility company has provided energy to
the city of Fairview for over 50 years.
(6.)
Royalty
Buildin~
Location: Ponca City, Oklahoma
Legal or Address: Lots 13-16, Block 41, Hartman Addition
Date: 1923
Significance: The Royalty Building is one of two commercial
buildings financed by E. W. Marland, founder and president of
Marland Oil Company, and one of only two commercial buildings
designed in the Spanish Colonial Revival style in Ponca City.
It is the only remaining building in the central business
district of Ponca City which housed offices for petroleum
companies during the boom period of 1923 to 1929.
(7.)
Paris Furniture Building
Location: Ponca City, Oklahoma
Legal or Address: Lots 13-16, Block 41, Hartman Addition
Date: 1923
SIgnificance: The Paris Furniture Building is one of only
two commercial buildings financed by E. W. Marland and
designed by John Duncan Forsythe in Ponca City, Oklahoma. It
is one of only two commercial buildings of Spanish Colonial
Revival architecture in Ponca City.
D.
Industrial
(1.)
Conoco Pipeline Station:
Cherokee Terminal
Location: Cherokee, Oklahoma
Legal or Address: SW 1/4, SW 1/4, Section 28, Township 27
North, Range 10 West
Date: 1945
SIgnificance: This is the oldest remaining pipeline station
in Alfalfa County.
(2.)
Champlin Warehouse
Location: Enid, Oklahoma
Legal or Address: 1009 South Grand Avenue
Date: 1925
SIgnificance: This is the only remaining unaltered warehouse
associated with the Champlin Refinery Company in Enid.
32
(3.)
Sinclair Production Camp Company House Garage
Location: Covington, Oklahoma
Legal or Address: Tracts 1-3, NE 1/4, Section 25, Township
22 North, Range 4 West
Date: 1925
Significance: This is the only rema1n1ng building associated
with the Sinclair Oil Company housing units at or near the
Sinclair Production Camp.
(4.)
Sinclair Production Camp Machine Shop
Location: Covington, Oklahoma
Legal or Address: NE 1/4, NE 1/4, NE 1/4, Section 25,
Township 22 North, Range 4 West
Date: 1920
Significance: This is the only rema1n1ng property still
intact from the Sinclair Production Camp, the first such
operation in the Garber-Covington Field and the oldest
remaining oil field production camp structure in Garfield
County.
(5.)
Wilcox Oil Company Building
Location: Garber, Oklahoma
Legal or Address: Lots 1-2, Block 15, Garber's Addition
Date: 1927
Significance: This is the only remaining early oil boom
company office in Garber.
(6.)
Antelope Booster Station
Location: Billings, Oklahoma
Legal or Address: NE 1/4, Section 31, Township 23 North,
Range 2 West
Date: 1927
Significance: The Antelope Station is one of the oldest
booster stations built by the Sinclair Oil Company in Noble
County.
(7. )
Sinclair Oil Company Pipeline Station and Tank Farm
Location: Three Sands, Oklahoma
Legal or Address: SW 1/4, Section 19, Township 24 North,
Range 1 West
Date: 1925
Significance: Constructed by the Sinclair Oil Company, the
pipeline station and tank farm have operated for over 70
years.
33
~-- ~~-~~-------------------------
(8.)
Empire Gas and Fuel Company Compressor Station
Location: Mooreland, Oklahoma
Legal or Address: NE 1/4, SE 1/4, Section 35, Township 24
North, Range 19 West
Date: 1927
Significance: The engine room, auxiliary room, and water
tower represent the oldest and best remaining examples of a
natural gas camp in Woodward County. These three properties
represent the oldest existing pipeline facilities constructed
by Empire Gas and Fuel Company before it merged with Cities
Service Gas Company in 1929.
(9.)
Phillips Pipeline Trunkline Station
Location: Laverne, Oklahoma
Legal or Address: SE 1/4, Section 9, Township 25 North,
Range 25 West
Date: 1928
SIgnificance: This is the only rema1n1ng Phillips Petroleum
Company pipeline terminal complex in Oklahoma built when
Phillips Petroleum Company constructed its first major long
distance, multi-purpose pipeline from Borger, Texas to
Chicago, Illinois, a distance of more than 1,000 miles.
E.
Lodges
(1.)
Knox Building/Masonic Temple
Location: Enid, Oklahoma
Legal or Address: Lots 1-4 and East 1/2 of Lot 5, Block 8,
Weatherly Addition
Date: 1923
SIgnificance: This building is one of the best rema1n1ng
examples of Sullivanesque high rise style architecture in
north central Oklahoma. It was the first Masonic Temple in
Garfield County, housing activities of all Masonic Lodges in
Garfield County from 1928 to 1945.
(2.)
Oddfellows Lodge and Rooming House
Location: Covington, Oklahoma
Legal or Address: Lots 17-20, Block 32, Original Townsite
Date: 1920
SIgnificance: The building served as a hotel, rooming house
and I.O.O.F. meeting hall during the 1920s oil boom in
Covington.
34
F.
Government
(1.)
Garber City Hall
Location: Garber, Oklahoma
Legal or Address: Lots 11-12, Block 11, Original Townsite
Date: 1920
Significance: The Garber City Hall was constructed during
the early 1920s oil boom in Garber.
(2.)
Tonkawa City Hall
Location: Tonkawa, Oklahoma
Legal or Address: Lots 15-16, Block 43, Original Townsite
Date: 1923
Significance: This is the only local government building in
Tonkawa constructed during the oil boom era of the early
1920s and is the best example of Gothic Revival architecture
applied to a public building in Tonkawa.
~
II.
STRUCTURES
(1.)
Lew
W~ntz
Camp
Location: Ponca City, Oklahoma
Legal or Address: N 1/2, NE 1/4, Section 18, Township 26
North, Range 3 East
Date: 1934
Significance: Lew Wentz, a wealthy oil businessman,
constructed the Lew Wentz Educational Camp at a cost of
$400,000 and donated the property to Ponca City in 1934. The
property includes 33.45 acres. Consists of seventeen
historic properties.
III.
SITES
(1.)
First Oil Drilling Venture in the Oklahoma Panhandle
Location: Gate, Oklahoma
Legal or Address: SE 1/4, Section 5, Township 34 North,
Range 28 West
Date: 1918
SIg~ificance: Gate area residents formed the Gate Valley
Drilling Corporation, hoping to strike oil; however, the
venture failed when funds expired and drilling ceased at a
depth of 3,400 feet.
35
(2.)
First Oil Well Drilled in Ellis County
Location: Arnett, Oklahoma
Legal or Address: NE 1/4, NE 1/4, Section 21, Township 20
North, Range 24 West
Date: 1932
SIgnificance: L. V. Hivick and the Algiers Oil Company
attempted to drill for oil on the J. R. Roper farm in 1932.
The venture failed and it was not until the 1940s that oil
exploration was reinstituted in Ellis County.
(3.)
"Lizzie Howell" Natural Gas Well
Location: Laverne, Oklahoma
Legal or Address: SW 1/4,SW 1/4, Section 30, Township 27
North, Range 24 West
Date: 1929
srgnificance: The Sinclair Oil drilllled the "Lizzie Howell"
well, the discovery well for the Mocane-Laverne Gas Field in
Harper County. Since 1932, this well has supplied natural
gas for the cities of Buffalo and Laverne.
(4.)
R. E. Hoy #1 Oil Well
Location: Covington, Oklahoma
Legal or Address: NE 1/4, NE 1/4, NE 1/4, Section 25,
Township 25 North, Range 4 West
Date: 1916
srgnificance: The R. E. Hoy #1 Oil Well was the discovery
well for the Garber Field and was the first well drilled in
Oklahoma based on findings by a geologist. Its drilling
resulted in a production horizon being discovered which was
thereafter known as the "Hoy Sand."
36
L
List of National Register of
Historic Places Nominations
NATIONAL REGISTER NOMINATIONS BY PROPERTY TYPE
DWELLINGS
John Alcorn Home
Location:
Owner:
Number 8 Hillcrest, Ponca City, OK
74601
Dr. Jerry Trotter, Number 8 Hillcrest, Ponca City,
OK 74601
Description:
Condition:
Excellent
The John Alcorn Home is a detached dwelling with an ellshaped floor plan consisting of a 2 1/2 story side-gabled
main mass, a rear-facing 2 1/2 story gabled wing attached to
northwest corner of main block, and a one-story side-gabled
wing attached to south wall of the main mass. It has a red
brick wall finish laid in the Flemish bond and features
matching end wall chimneys with corbelled caps.
Significance:
Specific Dates: 1923-1929
Builder/Architect: Unknown
Areas: Commercial/Architecture
John Alcorn began his ventures in the petroleum business
in the Burbank Oil Field during the period from 1915 to early
1920s. The Alcorn Oil Company leased acreage and drilled
numerous wells, however, it was purchased by the Marland Oil
Company in the early 1920s and John Alcorn was made a VicePresident with Marland Oil. E. W. Marland's organizational
plan was to surround himself with bright, young talent to
form a "brain trust" in order to expand his operations.
Alcorn became one of Marland's "lieutenants", as he called
them.
Marland and his lieutenants continued to extend their
operations during the 1920s by acquiring interests in the
Garber, Billings, and Blackwell Oil Fields in Oklahoma, constructing additional storage banks to accommodate the Tonkawa
Field production, and expanding the Marland Refinery in Ponca
City.
Alcorn was financially able to construct a luxurious
home in Ponca City in 1923 as a result of his position with
the Marland Oil Company. He continued to serve as VicePresident with Marland Oil until 1929 when the company merged
with Continental Oil Company, or CONOCO. During Alcorn's
tenure as Vice-President, Marland Oil sold products in every
state of the Union and seventeen foreign countries.
39
John Alcorn was a powerful figure in the Marland Oil
Company during his residency in the nominated property. He
remained loyal to Marland until 1929 when the company merged
with CONOCO and Marland turned to politics. No other extant
properties associated with John Alcorn remain intact.
Colonial Revival stylization is featured in the Alcorn
Home. Most prominent elements are the pedimented front
entryway highlighted with keyed fanlight and modest entablature supported by slender wood columns and pilasters,
Palladian-type openings in one-story wing and rear of main
wall plane, matching end wall chimneys with corbelled caps,
numerous 12/12 double-hung wood windows flanked by wood plank
exterior shutters, quarter and half-round openings in gable
ends, flat arches of brick over first and second story windows, and Flemish bond brick wall finish. The Alcorn Home
exhibits an overall formal arrangement of parts employing a
symmetrical composition, especially the front facade with its
symmetrically balanced windows and centrally-located entry
door with classical detailing.
Major Bibliographical References:
Personal Interviews: R. L. Bosworth, July, 1985.
Audrey Vance, November, 1985.
Matthews, John Joseph, The Life and Death of an Oilman:
Career of E. W. Marland, University of Oklahoma Press, 1951,
pp. 115, 157, 162, 179, & 192.
Geographical Data:
Acreage: Less than one acre
Quadrangle Name: Ponca City, OK
Scale: 1:24,000
UTM: 14/673100/4063670
Verbal Boundary: At a point beginning 423' southwest of
the center of the intersection of Cleary Drive and
Hillcrest, proceed due east 72', then due south 68',
then due west 72', then due north 68' to point of
beginning. The nominated property lies within these
delineated boundaries.
40
41
NATIONAL REGISTER NOMINATIONS BY PROPERTY TYPE
DWELLINGS
Frank and Blanche Lucas Home
Location:
Owner:
Number 11 Hillcrest, Ponca City, OK
74601
Claudine Baughman-Birt, Number 11 Hillcrest,
Ponca City, OK 74601
Description:
Condition:
Excellent
The Frank and Rlanche Lucas Home is a two-story, detached dwelling of rock-faced coursed ashlar wall finish. It
is approximately 40' x 40' with a sideward facing gabled roof
and cross gables in front and rear. There is a 12' x 16'
patio located near southwest corner and it is bounded by a 3'
stone wall railing of similar finish as exterior walls. A
massive two-story rock-faced eave wall chimney dominates the
front facade and an interior rock chimney is located to the
rear.
Significance:
Specific Dates: 1923-1932
Builder/Architect: Unknown
Areas: Commercial/Architecture
Frank Lucas was one of E. W. Marland's "lieutenants"
when Marland founded the Marland Oil Company (later Continental Oil Company, or CONOCO), in 1917. During the 1920s, it
was one of Oklahoma's most prosperous petroleum firms having
been involved in the Blackwell, Garber, Billings, Burbank,
and Tonkawa Oil Fields. Lucas was Marland's private secretary from 1917 until Marlands's death in 1941. During that
24 year period, he managed the personal affairs of Marland,
who not only headed one of the state's most important oil
companies, but also was United States Congressman from Oklahoma's Eighth District and Governor of Oklahoma.
Blanche Lucas was a Democratic Party official in Kay
County during the teens and then served as the Democratic
Party National Committeewoman from Oklahoma during the 1920s
and early 1930s. She took an active role in Marland's election to the United States Congress in 1932 and was a strong
campaigner for the election of Franklin D. Roosevelt as
President also in 1932. Both were later appointed as Postmaster for Ponca City.
42
Frank and Blanche Lucas spent the most productive years
living in the nominated property, especially from 1923 to
1932 when both rose to power with the Marland Oil Company and
the Democratic Party, respectively. No other extant properties associated with Frank and Blanche Lucas remain intact.
The Lucas Home embodies Tudor qualities characteristic
of the English Period Houses being constructed in the United
States during the Eclectic Movement from 1880 to 1940. Distinguishing Tudor features consist of the prominent steeplypitched cross gables in front and rear; steeply-pitched sidegabled main section; massive chimney which dominates the
front facade; rock-faced coursed ashlar wall finish; tall,
narrow metal casement windows arranged in bands; and scalloped wood shingles covering dormer sides.
Major Bibliographical References:
Personal Interviews: R. L. Bosworth, July, 1985.
Audrey Vance, November, 1985.
Matthews, John Joseph, The Life and Death of an Oilman:
The Career of E. W. Marland. Norman: University of Oklahoma
Press, 1951.
Geographical Data:
Acreage: Less than one acre
Quadrangle Name: Ponca City, OK
Scale: 1: 24,000
UTM: 14/673010/4064620
Verbal Boundary: At a point beginning 471' southeast of
the center of the intersection of Cleary Drive and
Hillcrest, proceed due east 34', then due south 125',
then due west 34', then due north 125' to the point of
beginning. The nominated property lies within these
boundaries.
43
44
NATIONAL REGISTER NOMINATIONS BY PROPERTY TYPE
DWELLINGS
W. A. J. M. Van Waterschoot van der Gracht Mansion
Location:
Owner:
Number 6 Hillcrest, Ponca City, OK
74647
Mike Koster, Number 6 Hillcrest, Ponca City,
OK 74647
Description:
Condition:
Excellent
The Waterschoot van der Gracht Home is a one-story, detached dwelling with brick wall finish covered with waterproof white paint. It has a U-shaped floor plan consisting
of a central block with high ceiling of approximately 20'
giving it the appearance of two floors; two wings, each of
which are approximately 20' x 50', attached to north and
south walls of central block; a 10' x 20' front entry porch;
a 30' x 35' covered atrium to the rear of central block; and
a 15' x 15' carriage porch and 25' x 30' two-car garage
attached to north wing. It has a flat roof covered with
Spanish-style tile. There are two separate basements, one
under north wing and the other under south wing. There are
two interior chimneys, one located along south wall of central block and the other near southeast corner.
Significance:
Specific Dates: 1923-1929
Builder/Architect: Unknown
Areas: Industrial/Architecture
Dr. W. A. J. M. van Waterschoot van der Gracht, wellknown Dutch geologist and chief engineer for the Royal Dutch
Shell Oil Company, was hired by E. W. Marland in the early
1920s to head the Exploration Division of the Marland Oil
Company based in Ponca City. Marland's purpose of employing
Dr. van der Gracht was twofold: (1) it would provide a link
with Europe where Marland Oil planned to market its petroleum
products, and (2) Marland was among the first companies to
use geologists for exploration and Dr. van der Gracht was
familiar with the seismograph, a new method for exploration
of potential petroleum-producing lands.
During his early career with Marland Oil, Dr. van der
Gracht made extensive reports for Marland on the value of his
producing properties and his oil reserves. By 1922, van der
Gracht reported the value of Marland Oil to be $109,750,000
based on value of 1922 dollar. At this time, Marland
appointed van der Gracht as a Vice-President and became one
of E.W.'s trusted advisors and members of the inner social
circle.
45
Marland knew of the seismograph and Dr. van der Gracht
was knowledgeable of its use in determining the structure of
the Alps. Marland was the first to put it to commercial use
in 1924-25 when he and Dr. van der Gracht brought a seismograph crew from Germany to use in the Oklahoma, Texas, and
Gulf Coast Oil Fields.
Dr. van der Gracht lived for a time in a house on North
Fourteenth in Ponca City, however, he spent his most productive years with Marland Oil, 1923-1929, residing in the nominated property which was constructed in ca. 1923. He continued as Vice-President of Exploration until 1929 when Marland
Oil merged with Continental Oil Company (CONOCO). During the
period from 1925 until 1929, van der Gracht oversaw Marland's
operations in East Texas and remained a loyal member of Marland's "lieutenants", as he called them. He was also a privileged member of the Marland social group accompanying Marland on his private railroad car to California and hosting
parties for the top Marland executives in the home at Number
6 Hillcres t.
The van der Gracht Home displays numerous Spanish Colonial Revival features. Distinctive elements of the front
facade include the arcaded entry porch supported by twisted
columns with enriched scrolled capitals and featuring a curvilinear gable as well as the curvilinear gabled carriage
porch with large round arched driveway. The central block
possesses a curvilinear gable along north roofline, decorative cornice with dentil-like elements crowning the other
three walls, tall pierced chimney stack with elaborate pot
consisting of gable roof covered with Spanish-style tile and
adorned with decorative niches, and circular niches in walls
above porches and wings. Additional Spanish Colonial Revival
vocabulary includes the round arched doorway and window openings in rear, Spanish-style tile roof cover, and heavy,
square porch piers in carriage porch.
Major Bibliographical References:
Personal Interviews: Mrs. Mike Koster, November, 1985.
R. L. Bosworth, July, 1985.
Matthews, John Joseph, The Life and Death of an Oilman:
The Career of E. W. Marland. Norman: University of Oklahoma
Press, 1951, pp. 133-134, 162 and 184.
Geographical Data:
Acreage: Less than one acre
Quadrangle Name: Pbnca City, OK
Scale: 1:24,000
UTM: 14/672600/4063525
Verbal Boundary: At a point beginning approximately
195' northwest of the center of the intersection of
Grand Avenue and Hillcrest, proceed due east 130' then
due south 60', then due west 130', then due north 60',
to the point of beginning. The nominated property lies
within these boundaries.
46
47
NATIONAL REGISTER NOMINATIONS BY PROPERTY TYPE
DWELLINGS
Sam McKee Home
Location:
Owner:
609 East Grand Avenue, Tonkawa, OK
74653
R. E. McKee, 609 East Grand Avenue, Tonkawa,
OK 74653
Description:
Condition:
Excellent
The Sam McKee Home is a two-story, hipped roof, detached
dwelling with red brick wall finish laid in the common bond
featuring a header/stretcher course every fifth layer. The
residence is approximately 40' x 45' and has a one-story,
12' x 12' centered entry porch, a 15' x 25' one-story, hipped
roof wing on east side, and one-story hipped roof wing on
rear which extends full-width of main wall plane. The rear
wing is a combination of open porch and enclosed room. There
is a raised basement and two chimneys, one interior type
located on west side and one end wall type on east side.
Significance:
Specific Dates: 1923-1933
Builder/Architect: L. S. Fisher (Builder)
Areas: Industry/Architecture
Sam McKee migrated to Oklahoma Territory from Kansas in
1893 when the Cherokee Strip was opened for white settlement
in the Land Run. He settled on a farm southwest of Tonkawa
where he resided until 1923 when oil was discovered on his
160-acre farm by the Lew Wentz Oil Company. It became one of
the richest discoveries in the Tonkawa Oil Field producing
almost 7,000,000 barrels of crude oil during the next decade.
It was such a prolific lease that one source reported that
McKee "refused an offer of two million dollars for the royalty on a quarter-section farm." (Franks, The Oklahoma
Petroleum Industry, p. 111).
As was the case for many farmers upon whose land oil was
discovered, McKee moved to the nearby town of Tonkawa and
built a luxurious home with the money derived from oil field
royalties. McKee lived in the nominated property from 1923
until the time of his death in 1933. During this period,
McKee became one of the wealthiest oil men in the Tonkawa
Field as he continued to draw royalties from his 160-acre
tract that was producing 8,000 barrels of oil per day
(Rister, Oil! Titan of the Southwest, p. 204). No other
extant properties associated with McKee remain intact.
48
The McKee Home is the oldest and best preserved example
of the Prairie Box style in Tonkawa. This was the earliest
Prairie form and developed into the most common vernacular
version. The McKee Home is representative of the Prairie Box
style because it displays the characteristic low-pitched
hipped roof with widely overhanging eaves, two-story mass
with one-story centered front porch and one-story wings to
the side and rear, and massive square porch posts in front.
Horizontal lines characteristic of the Prairie Box are
achieved by the use of contrasting limestone caps on porch
and stoop railings, limestone lug sills, limestone water
table, and contrasting white wood trim used in eaves.
Further enhancement of the horizonality of the property is
produced by the brick railing with limestone caps which
surrounds the raised lot. Although Prairie Box elements are
most prevalent, electicism is displayed via the use of the
Spanish-style tiled roof cover and the twin scrolled brackets
at cornice level.
Major Bibliographical References:
The Tonkawa News, November 30, 1933, p. 1.
Interview: Clark McKee, July, 1985.
Franks, Kenny A., The Oklahoma Petroleum Industry.
Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1980, p. 111.
Rister, Carl Coke, Oil! Titan of the Southwest, Norman:
University of Oklahoma Press.
Geographical Data:
Acreage: Less than one acre
Quadrangle Name: Tonkawa, OK
Scale: 1:24,000
UTM: 14/651020/4060530
Verbal Boundary: Lots 1-7, Block 27, Original Townsite
of Tonkawa, Oklahoma.
49
50
NATIONAL REGISTER NOMINATIONS BY PROPERTY TYPE
DWELLINGS
Seward Sheldon Mansion
Location:
L
Owner:
Number 9 Hillcrest, Ponca City, OK
74601
Dr. Tom Carter, Number 9 Hillcrest, Ponca City,
OK 74601
Description:
Condition:
Excellent
The Seward Sheldon Home is a 2 1/2 stories, detached,
dwelling with red brick wall finish laid in the running bond.
It has a steeply-pitched gabled roof and is approximately
30' x 60'. There is a one-story, flat-roofed porch on the
southwest corner, a small one-story shed roofed porch on
northwest corner, and a two-car garage built into northeast
corner. A massive, eave wall brick chimney dominates the
front facade and one interior brick chimney is located near
ridge of the rear part of cross gable.
Significance:
Specific Dates: 1923-1929
Builder/Architect: E. W. Marland (Builder)
Areas: Industry/Architecture
Seward Sheldon graduated from the University of Oklahoma
in 1917 with a degree in business. This was the same year
that E. W. Marland founded the Marland Oil Company after
striking oil on the Miller Brothers' 101 Ranch in the north
central Oklahoma. Marland's organizational plan was to surround himself with young, talented, and well-educated men to
form a "brain trust" to help expand his operations. One of
the men chosen as Marland's "lieutenants", as he called them,
was Sheldon who became assistant treasurer at the outset.
By the early 1920s, the Marland Oil Company had opened
the rich Tonkawa Field in Oklahoma; held leases in Kansas,
California, Texas, and New Mexico; constructed its own
refinery in Ponca City; and established a retail operation
consisting of more than 600 service stations throughout the
Midwest. Marland's estimated wealth was $85,000,000 by 1923
when Sheldon became Treasurer of the Marland holdings.
Marland and his lieutenants continued to extend their operations during the 1920s by acquiring interest in the Blackwell, Garber, Billings, and Burbank Oil Fields in Oklahoma,
constructing additional storage tanks to accommodate the
Tonkawa Field production, and expanding the Marland Refinery
in Ponca City.
51
Sheldon was financially able to construct a new home in
Ponca City in 1923 as a result of his position with the
Marland Oil Company. He continued to serve as Treasurer with
Marland until 1929 when the company merged with Continental
Oil Company which became CONOCO. During Sheldon's period as
Treasurer, Marland Oil Company sold products in every state
of the union and seventeen foreign countries.
The Sheldon Home displays several Tudor qualities
including the side-gabled roof, facade dominated by prominent
cross gable and massive chimney, gabled roof dormers in front
and rear, keyed fanlight over entry door, wood shutters,
brick wall finish, groups of 6/6 double-hung wood windows,
and wood pilasters framing screened porch openings. Built in
1923 during the peak of the Eclectic Movement in the United
States, the Sheldon Home followed the English Tudor model
used in the period stylization of the post-World War I era.
Major Bibliographical References:
Personal Interviews: Audrey Vance, November, 1985.
R. L. Bosworth, July, 1985.
Matthews, John Joseph. Life and Death of an Oilman:
The Career of E. W. Marland. Norman: University of Oklahoma
Press, 1951, pp. 131, 150, 187, & 192.
Geographical Data:
Acreage: Less than one acre
Quadrangle Name: Ponca City, OK
Scale: 1:24,000
UTM: 14/673020/4063530
Verbal Boundary: At a point beginning approximately
390' northeast of the middle of the intersection of
Grand Avenue and Hillcrest, proceed due east 33' then
due south 124', then due west 33', then due north 124'
to point of beginning. The nominated property lies
within these delineated boundaries.
52
53
NATIONAL REGISTER NOMINATIONS BY PROPERTY TYPE
D~lliLLINGS
T. T. Eason Mansion
Location:
Owner:
1305 West Broadway, Enid, OK
73702
Dr. Bob Herlihy, 1305 West Broadway, Enid, OK
Description:
Condition:
73702
Excellent
The T. T. Eason Home is a 2 1/2 story, hipped roof,
detached residence with red brick wall finish laid in the
common bond. The dwelling has a one-story enclosed sun porch
on east, a two story carport on the west, and a one-story
rear porch with flat roof and deck. The rectangular-shaped
property possesses three interior brick chimneys, two on the
west side and one on the east. It also has a raised
basement.
Significance:
Specific Dates: 1923-1935
Builder/Architect: Unknown
Areas: Industry/Architecture
Eason began his career in petroleum in the Healdton Oil
Field of south central Oklahoma in 1913 when he became manager of the Healdton Oil and Gas Company. Living at Marlow,
northwest of the Healdton Field, he later acquired controlling interest of the Oil State Petroleum Company. When new
discoveries were made in north central and northwest Oklahoma
in the early 1920s, Eason moved to Enid in 1923 and constructed the nominated property at 1305 West Broadway.
Through a series of corporate mergers, the Healdton Oil and
Gas Company and the Oil State Petroleum Company were combined
in 1924 to form the Eason Oil Company based in Enid.
In 1929 Eason acquired the Bolene Refining Company of
Enid. With this purchase, he was able to control all aspects
of the petroleum industry including exploration, production,
refining, and marketing. Eason Oil developed into one of the
state's most successful independent operations and one of the
Midwest's most active companies offering its products
throughout the region from Texas to Wisconsin. When the
Great Depression struck the country, Eason was forced to sell
a portion of his holdings. By the mid-1930s, Eason Oil divested itself of the refining and marketing branches of its
operations and concentrated only on the exploration and production phases. During the most productive years of Eason's
career as President of the Eason Oil Company from 1924 to
1935, he resided in the nominated property. No other extant
property associated with T. T. Eason, either in Marlow or
54
Enid, remains intact.
The Eason Home is one of the best preserved examples of
the Prairie Box Style in Enid. This was the earliest Prairie
form and developed into the most common vernacular version.
Popular during the first quarter of the twentieth century,
the Prairie Box diffused throughout the Midwest primarily
through the publication of pattern books. The Eason Home is
representative of the Prairie Box vernacular form because it
displays the characteristic low-pitched hipped roof with
widely overhanging eaves, two-story mass with hipped roof
dormers, double-hung wood windows, and massive square porch
posts.
Major Bibliographical References:
Personal Interviews: Bill Edson, July, 1985.
Franks, Kenny A., The Oklahoma Petroleum Industry.
Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1980, p. 88.
Geographical Data:
Acreage: Less than one acre
Quadrangle Name: Enid West, OK
Scale: 1: 24,000
UTM: 14/599250/4028320
Verbal Boundary: Lots 1-6, Block 12, Waverly Addition
to Enid, Oklahoma.
55
56
NATIONAL REGISTER NOMINATIONS BY PROPERTY TYPE
DWELLINGS
McChristy-Knox Mansion
Location:
L
Owner:
1323 West Broadway, Enid, OK
73702
Dr. and Mrs. Cleo S. Zambon, 1323 West Broadway,
Post Office Box 3908, Enid, OK 73702
Description:
Condition:
Excellent
The McChristy-Knox Mansion is a three-story, detached
residence with raised basement. The rectangular-shaped
dwelling has a hipped roof with deck and a buff brick wall
finish laid in the common bond. It has two-story projecting
portico with a lower one-story veranda porch which extends
full width of front (north) side and wraps around to
approximately half way on east and west walls. There are two
brick chimneys, both of which have pierced stacks and
corbelled caps. One is an end wall type on west side and the
other is an interior type located toward the rear, or south
side.
Significance:
Specific Dates: 1904
Builder/Architect: Unknown
Areas: Architecture
The McChristy-Knox Mansion is architecturally significant because it is the oldest remaining and best preserved
example of the Neo-Classicalstyle in Enid, Oklahoma having
been constructed in 1904, three years prior to Oklahoma
statehood.
According to the McAlesters' A Field Guide to American
Houses (p. 343), the nominated property can be categorized as
one of the five principal Neo-Classical subtypes: fullheight entry porch with lower full-width porch. Considered
as the most uncommon of the Neo-Classical subtypes, the
McChristy-Knox Mansion was constructed in 1904 during the
peak of popularity for the subtype which lasted from 1895 to
1915.
Built by J. E. McChristy, one of Enid's pioneer businessmen, the mansion enbodies numerous major and minor elements of the Neo-Classical style. The major elements include
a dominant two-story portico with roof supported by four wood
classical columns featuring Ionic capitals, unfluted shafts,
and attic bases; the symmetrically balanced windows and
doors of the facade; the eleven wood porch columns topped
with Ionic capitals and resting on wood pedestals; dentiled
cornices and scolled bracketing in widely overhanging eaves;
57
wood pilaster ,trips flanking front and rear porch doors;
balustraded decks above two story front portico, two-story
bay on east sLe, and hipped portion of main roof; and multipaned upper sach and single-pane lower sash windows enhanced
by limestone flat arches with pronounced keys and limestone
lug sills. MiLor elements include the limestone water table,
limestone quoh ing at corners, pedimented dormer in rear with
fish-scale shiLgles, pierced chimney stacks with corbelled
caps, Spanish lile roof covering, two-story three-sided bay
on east side, crnamental cornice returns of the facade's center gable, raifed brick platform of veranda-style porch, and
short brick co~umns topped with globe-type ornamentation
which flank stoop leading to the raised porch.
Major Bibliogrc,phical References:
Personal Interviews: Fran Nulph, July, 1983.
Geographical D2ta:
Acreage: Less than one acre
Quadrangle' Name: Enid West, OK
Scale: 1:24,000
UTM: 14/~99145/4028290
Verbal Boundary: Lots 9-12, Block 12, Waverly Addition
to Enid, Oklahoma.
58
59
NATIONAL REGISTER NOMINATIONS BY PROPERTY TYPE
COMMERCIAL
Royalty Building
Location:
Owner:
Corner of Fourth Street and Grand Avenue,
Ponca City, OK 74601
Donahoe Company, % Virgil Grimm, Post Office Box 151,
Ponca City, OK 74601
Description:
Condition:
Excellent
The Royalty Building is a two-story, rectangular-shaped
commercial building with stucco wall finish and brick trim on
west and south sides, brick wall finish on north side, and
adjoined to Paris Building on east side. I t has a flat roof
with approximately a 2' parapet on south and west walls. An
alley runs along north side of the building.
Significance:
Specific Dates: 1923-1929
Builder/Architect: E. W. Marland (Builder)
Areas: Commercial
Because of its close proximity to the north central
Oklahoma oil fields, Ponca City's population more than
doubled during the 1920s from 7,051 to 16,136. Marland was
concerned about the city's growth. He was a philanthropic
millionaire who contributed more to the city than jobs. He
was a visionary who saw "his" town as a place of beauty, a
place where workers would enjoy living and shopping. Marland's contributions to the city were numerous--he purchased
land to be cleared for the Ponca City municipal golf course,
financed the construction of a new municipal building, and
provided homes for his employees.
Marland encouraged the developement of Ponca City's
downtown area. He saw a need for new business buildings to
accommodate increased commercial activity due to the petroleum boom and related business. In the early 1920s, he asked
his architect friend, John Duncan Forsyth, who had become enarmored with the Spanish Colonial architecture of California
and New Mexico while traveling with Marland to his oil leases
in those states, to design two new commercial buildings for
lots that Marland owned in the central business district, the
Royalty Building being one of those two.
The Royalty Building was completed in 1923 with the
financing of Marland. From 1923 to 1929, it housed several
petroleum company offices, including Marland Oil, as well as
a variety of commercial enterprises on the first floor. In
60
1929 Marland Oil merged with Continental Oil Companay
(CONOCO) and Marland sold the property to the Donahoe Family
which still remains ownership.
The Royalty Building is one of two commercial buildings
in Ponca City designed in the Spanish Colonial Revival style.
Characteristic of the style is the round, compound arched,
quoined entryway in the west side. The entryway is highlighted with decorative tile surround and tympanum. Above
entryway is opening covered with the typical iron window
grille and features a balconet-type ornamentation at base.
Crowning the entryway is a curvilinear gable. Additional
Spanish Colonial Revival elements include the numerous
straight-topped windows set in blind round arches, balconettype projections at base of windows, white stucco wall
finish, and a decorative tile belt course above second floor
openings. Other decorative features include the hood (label)
molds over bands of second floor windows, each of which is
divided by ornate pilaster strips with minature capitals and
bases.
Major Bibliographical References:
Personal Interviews: Herman Smith, July, 1985; Glen
Paris, July, 1985; and James Paris, December, 1985.
Mathews, John Joseph. Life and Death of an Oilman: The
Career of E. W. Marland. Norman: University of Oklahoma
Press, 1951.
Geographical Data:
Acreage: Less than one acre
Quadrangle Name: Ponca City, OK
Scale: 1:24,000
UTM: 14/671530/4063515
Verbal Boundary: Lots 13-16, Block 41, Hartman Addition
to Ponca City, Oklahoma.
61
62
NATIONAL REGISTER NOMINATIONS BY PROPERTY TYPE
COMMERCIAL
Paris Furniture
Location:
Owner:
409 East Grand Avenue, Ponca City, OK
74601
James M. and Glen E. Paris, Jr., 409 East Grand
Avenue, Ponca City, OK 74601
Description:
Condition:
Excellent
The Paris Furniture Building is a commercial building
with white stucco wall finish and flat roof. The rectangular-shaped structure is composed of two-story and threestory sections which share a common wall and are adjoined in
the interior as a large furniture display area.
Significance:
Specific Dates: 1923-1929
Builder/Architect: E. W. Marland (Builder)
Areas: Commercial
E. W. Marland, who resided in Ponca City, was a visionary who wanted "his" town to be a liveable community and,
through his many financial contributions, provided cultural
and social amenities for the residents including the Ponca
City municipal golf course, municipal building, Pioneer Woman
Statue, and housing for employees.
In addition, Marland assumed an active role in the
development of Ponca City's commercial district. Because of
the town's growth during the oil boom of the 1920s, he saw a
need for additional business buildings. In the early 1920s,
Marland asked his architect friend John Duncan Forsyth to
design two new commercial buildings for which he would
provide construction financing, the Paris Building being one
of the two.
The Paris Huilding was completed in 1923 and has housed
the Paris Family Furniture Company since it opened its doors.
The original owner and tenant was J. G. Paris, a friend of
Marland. Both sections (two-story and three-story) have
served as furniture display areas as well as offices for more
than 61 years. The two sections give the exterior appearance
of being two separate buildings, however, they are connected
on the interior and contain one large display facility.
There are no entrance doors in front facade of two-story section. J. G. Paris' wife, Jesse, operated the store following
her husband's death and then it was sold to Glen Paris, J.
G.'s brother. It is currently owned and operated by Glen's
sons, James and Glen, Jr.
63
Spanish Colonial Revival architecture dominates the
Paris Building. Decorative elements include the blind round
arches over third story windows, twisted columns dividing the
window band of third story, massive columns with ornate capitals dividing windows in second story, cast iron balconets
supported by scrolled brackets, decorative brick cornice of
scalloped design, decorative niches of medallions and coats
of arms, compound round arches over second story of two-story
section, fanlights with radiating glazing bars, decorative
tile surrounds of round arches in two-story section, and unfluted Ionic-type pilasters dividing casement windows in twostory section.
Major Bibliographical References:
Personal Interviews: Glen Paris, July, 1985; and
James Paris, December 1985.
Mathews, John Joseph. Life and Death of an Oilman: The
Career of E. W. Marland. Norman: University of Oklahoma
Press, 1951.
Geographical Data:
Acreage: Less than one acre
Quadrangle Name: Ponca City, OK
Scale: 1:24,000
UTM: 14/671600/4063515
Verbal Boundary: Lots 17-20, Block 41, Hartman Addition
to Ponca City, Oklahoma.
64
65
NATIONAL REGISTER NOMINATIONS BY PROPERTY TYPE
INDUSTRIAL
Phillips Pipeline Trunkline Station
Location:
Owner:
Vicinity of Laverne, OK
Phillips Petroleum Company, Bartlesville, OK
Description:
Condition:
74002
Excellent
The Phillips Pipeline Trunkline Station nomination
consists of two red brick, flat roofed, industrial buildings:
(1) the pipeline station house, sometimes referred to as the
"engine room", and (2) the graphometer building. The station
house is approximately 50' x 65' and the graphometer building
is approximately 8' x 8'. The brick on the station house is
laid in the common bond with a stretcher/header course every
seventh layer. The brick on the graphometer building is laid
in the common bond with no stretcher/header courses. The
graphometer building sets approximately 12' from the
southwest corner of the station house. Both buildings are
one story even though the station house appears to be two
story. Sufficient headroom must be provided in the station
house for operation of chain hoists which are necessary at
times in disassembling the pumping units when repairs or
replacement of parts are needed.
Significance:
The Phillips Pipeline Company Trunkline Station at
Laverne is historically significant because it is the only
remaining Phillips pipeline terminal complex in Oklahoma
built when Phillips Petroleum Company constructed its first
major long distance, multi-purpose pipeline from the Phillips
Refinery at Borger, Texas to Chicago, Illinois, a distance of
more than 1,000 miles.
Phillips Petroleum Company, although an original partner
in the Great Lakes Pipeline Company along with five other
firms, began work on its own major long distance pipeline in
the late 1920s. The Great Lakes pipeline system of which
Phillips owned five percent stretched from Okmulgee, Oklahoma
to Minneapolis, Minnesota, a distance of 1,500 miles. Recognizing a need for its own pipeline system, Phillips ran its
first long distance operations from their refinery at Borger,
Texas to their marketing terminal in Chicago, Illinois. This
gave Phillips its own outlet and greatly increased the market
potential for their products throughout the Midwest.
66
L
The Laverne Trunkline Station complex (station house and
graphometer building) was completed in ca. 1928. It served
as the Number 5 booster station on the main Phillips Trunkline in order to maintain or increase the pressure of fluids
so that they could be pumped on to the next booster station.
The small graphometer building houses instruments to
measure and record density, temperature, specific gravity and
pressure needed to calculate flow. These data are sent to
the main Phillips office in Bartlesville, Oklahoma for
analysis. Originally the graphometer building also housed
control valves and meters to control flow of the liquids.
That part of the process is now housed in the small concrete
block building located near the northeast corner of the
engine room.
The Phillips Pipeline station at Laverne now serves two
pipelines. The orginal 8" pipeline carries propane and butane and a larger, newer 26" pipeline carries heavy products
such as regular, unleaded, and diesel fuel for automobiles as
well as aviation fuel.
The Laverne Terminal from the outset has been used to
pump refined products from the Phillips Refinery at Borger,
Texas to the Phillips Marketing Terminal in Chicago, Illinois. The original 8" pipeline was one of the first multipurpose facilities in the United States haVing carried a
variety of finished products from kerosene to refined gasoline ready for automobile use. The carrying capacity was
approximately 1,800-1,900 barrels per hour (42 gallons per
barrel).
The station house, or engine room, contains a series of
centrifugal pumps powered by the two original Chicago Prematic Interval combustion engines; all of which are bolted to
a reinforced concrete foundation. The pumps are positioned
so that each one handles the total flow of the liquid imparting its share of pressure to the product. Attached to the
station house exterior walls are breather/muffler facilities
connected to the engines on the inside. This equipment
serves the same purpose as those found in an automobile
exhaust system.
Major Bibliographical References:
Personal Interviews: Roy Moore, July, 1985.
Franks, Kenny A., The Oklahoma Petroleum Industry.
Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1980, p. 126.
67
Geographical Data:
Acreage: Each property less than one acre
Quadrangle Name: Laverne, OK
Scale: 1:24,000
UTM: 14/420320/4057270
Verbal Boundary:
Station ~ouse - At a point beginning approximately 2300'
south and 75' west of the center of the intersection of U.S.
Highway No. 283 and the northern section line road of Section
9, T25N, R25W, proceed due south 70', then due west 50', then
due north 70', then due east 50' to point of beginning. The
nominated property lies within these boundaries.
Graphometer Building - At a point beginning approximately
2350' south and 140' west of the center of the intersection
of U.S. Highway No. 283 and the northern section line road of
Section 9, T25N, R25W, proceed due south 10', then due west
10', then due north 10', then due east 10' to point of
beginning. The nominated property lies within these
boundaries.
68
NATIONAL REGISTER NOMINATIONS BY PROPERTY TYPE
INDUSTRIAL
Sinclair Gasoline Plant No. 6
Location:
Owner:
Vicinity of Covington, OK
ARCO Oil and Gas Company-Covington Plant,
Rural Route #1, P.O. Box 74, Covington, OK
Description:
Condition:
73730
Good
The Sinclair Covington Gasoline Plant No. 6 nomination
consists of four industrial buildings: engine room, boiler
house, generator room, and tool and work shop. The original
1921 buildings are all one-story and have rectangular floor
plans. Use of similar materials (corrugated metal), roof
type (gable), and color (silver) give the four buildings an
overall sense of cohesiveness. One of the striking features
of all four buildings is the amount of ventilation provided
because of the extreme heat and humidity produced by the
various equipment. Each building contains ample roof vents,
flexivent windows, and either sliding or double door
openings.
Significance:
Specific Dates: 1921-1935
Builder/Architect: Harry Sinclair (Builder)
Areas: Industry
The Garber Field was opened by the Sinclair Oil and Gas
Company in 1917 when it drilled the R. E. Hoy No. 1 Oil Well.
During peak production years of 1917 to 1935, the field
produced from eleven different horizons and daily output was
approximately 10,000 barrels. There were approximately 500
wells located in the field which encompassed an area of 50
square miles. Cumulative production for the Garber Field was
almost 17 million barrels of crude oil by the end of 1925.
Sinclair built a series of these gas processing plants
in Oklahoma in order to extract "natural" gasoline from wet
gas. Sinclair, a pioneer in Oklahoma petroleum history,
began his career in Oklahoma's first major field, Glenn Pool
near Tulsa, in 1904. He started by selling lumber for wood
derricks and dealing in leases. His success was phenomenal.
By 1913 he headed 62 independent oil companies and owned
eight drilling rigs. Three years later, Sinclair was the
largest independent oilman in the Mid-Continent Region and
was engaged in all phases of the industry including drilling,
production, pipelines, refining, and marketing. On May 1916
he formed the Sinclair Oil and Gas Company and joined the
major powers in the petroleum industry. By the end of 1916,
69
,
the Sinclair marketing area stretched from Oklahoma west to
Denver, north to Chicago, and east to Albany, New York. In
late 1917, Sinclair built his first series of gas processing
plants in the Cushing Field. They were numbered from one
through five. Only Plant Number 2 at Drumright remains in
operation from these first five gas processing facilities.
The Sinclair Gas Plant No. 6 complex originally consisted of four buildings: engine room, generator room, boiler
room, and office and supply/work building. The engine room
and generator room contain five of the original 4-cylinder
vertical design Foos Gas Engine (165 h.p.) installed in 1921.
These engines powered the natural gas compressors. The boiler room housed five gas-fired boilers, control valves, and
pumps which provided steam for the compression/refrigeration
method. The office/work and supply building housed company
staff, records, lunch room, and testing facilities.
The original office/supply/work building is now used
only as a supply/work area because a new office building was
constructed in the early 1970s. The latter is the only nonhistoric building in the complex. The tool and supply building is currently used for repair of equipment both on the
plant site and in the field gathering system including fabrication of new pipelines, repair of existing pipelines and
field meters, fitting pipes, and storage for tools, vices,
parts, and fire extinguishers. The engine and generator
rooms are still used for the same functions as when they were
constructed. The boiler room no longer contains boilers because the compression/refrigeration method was discontinued.
It now serves as a storage center.
In 1967 Sinclair Oil and Gas Company merged with
Atlantic Richfield which currently owns and operates the
plant. The plant presently produces approximately 50,000
gallons of liquid products per day.
The Sinclair Gas Plant No. 6 maintains a strong link to
the past not only through its building types but also through
its functions and processes which are still carried on in
much the same manner as when the complex was constructed in
1921. Although new methods of gas processing have been introduced over time, the original buildings are still used.
Major Bibliographical Reference~:
Personal Interviews: Harold Johnson, December, 1985.
R. C. Wilmot, December, 1985. Ken Paddick, January, 1986.
Sinclair Oil Corporation, A Great Name in Oil: Sinclair
Through Fifty Years. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1966.
70
Geographical Data:
Acreage: Each property is less than one acre
Quadrangle Name: Garber, OK
Scale: 1:62,500
UTM: 14/628160/4025270
Verbal Boundary:
Tool and Work Shop
At a point beginning approximately 2,000' north and 500'
east of the center o~ the intersection of the south and west
section line roads for Section 9, T21N, R4W, proceed due east
25', then due south 175', then due west 25', then due north
175' to point of beginning. The nominated property lies
within these boundaries.
Engine Room
At a point beginning approximately 2,075' north and 615'
east of the center of the intersection of the south and west
section line roads for Section 9, T21N, R4W, proceed due east
55', then due south 310', then due west 55', then due north
310' to point of beginning. The nominated property lies
within these boundaries.
Generator Room
At a point beginning approximately 1,785' north and 615'
east of the center of the intersection of the south and west
section line roads for Section 9, T21N, R4W, proceed due west
30', then due south 125', then due east 30', then due north
125' to point of beginning. The nominated property lies
within these boundaries.
Boiler House
At a point beginning approximately 1,695' north and 645'
east of the center of the intersection of the south and west
section line roads for Section 9, T21N, R4W, proceed due west
130', then due south 30', then due east 130', then due north
30' to point of beginning. The nominated property lies
within these boundaries.
71
72
NATIONAL REGISTER NOMINATIONS BY PROPERTY TYPE
INDUSTRIAL
Sinclair Production Camp Machine Shop
Location:
Owner:
Vicinity of Covington, OK
ARCO Oil and Gas Company, P.O. Box 86,
Covington, OK 73730
Description:
Condition:
Good
The Sinclair Production Camp Machine Shop is a detached,
industrial building approximately 50' x 50'. It has a gently
sloping gable roof, corrugated metal siding, and poured
concrete foundation.
Significance:
Oil was first discovered in Garfield County in 1917 by
the Sinclair Oil and Gas Company with the first well being
drilled on the R. E. Hoy farm, approximately five miles south
of Garber in the NE 1/4, NE 1/4, NE 1/4, Section 25-T22N-R4W.
During the peak production era from 1917-1930, the GarberCovington Field produced from 17 different horizons and daily
output was approximately 10,000 barrels. Producing formations ranged in depth from 1,100' to 4,400' and approximately
500 wells were located in the area.
After Sinclair's initial discovery, the Garber-Covington
Field was developed rapidly by several major firms including
Roxana Petroleum, Healdton Oil and Gas, Cosden Oil and Gas,
Marland Oil, and Atlantic Petroleum. One well brought in by
Sinclair Oil and Gas in Section 18 flowed 27,000 barrels, the
largest initial potential of any Oklahoma well to that date.
Because of Sinclair's large holdings and initial
production, a Sinclair production camp was built in ca. 1920
to serve the wells owned by Sinclair Oil and Gas. It was
located on the R. E. Hoy farm approximately 200' from the Hoy
No. 1 Well, the first well in the Garber-Covington Field.
The original camp complex included th~ machine shop
(nominated property), supply house and office, two doghouses,
and company housing and garages for Sinclair employees. All
buildings and structures other than the machine shop have
either been significantly altered or razed.
The machine shop was the focal point for the Sinclair
production camp. The camp crews were in charge of bringing
oil and gas to the surface and preparing them for their trip
through the pipeline to the refinery. More specifically, the
Sinclair employees performed maintenance operations on the
wells and pumping. units as well as treating, measuring, and
73
testing the oil and gas before they were run to the pipeline.
The machine shop housed a variety of functions and
served as a storage center for tools, parts, and equipment
needed to service the Sinclair wells. Activities carried out
in the machine shop included welding and forging, cleaning
and straightening pipes, and general repair of malfunctioning
equipment and well-head machinery.
Major Bibliographical References:
Personal Interviews: Hanna Long, July, 1985.
Franks, Kenny A., The Oklahoma Petroleum Industry.
Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1980.
Clark, G. C. and C. L. Cooper. "Kay, Grant, Garfield,
and Noble Counties," Oklahoma Geological Survey Bulletin No.
40, Vol. 2 (July, 1930).
Geographical Data:
Acreage: Less than one acre
Quadrangle Name: Garber, OK
Scale: 1:62,500
UTM: 14/628130/4024180
Verbal Boundary: Beginning at a point approximately
600' south and 250' west of the center of the intersection of the north and east section line roads for Section 25, T22N, R4W, proceed due south 55', then due west
55', then due north 55', then due east 55' to the point
of beginning. The nominated property lies within these
boundaries.
74
75
NATIONAL REGISTER NOMINATIONS BY PROPERTY TYPE
INDUSTRIAL
Empire Gas and Fuel Company Compressor Station
Location:
Owner:
Vicinity of Mooreland, OK
Northwest Central Pipeline Corporation,
No. 1 Williams Center, Tulsa, OK 74172
Description:
Condition:
Excellent
The Empire Gas and Fuel Company Gas Compressor Station
Complex nomination consists of two buildings and one structure: engine room, auxiliary room, and water tower.
Significance:
Specific Dates: 1927-1935
Builder/Architect: Empire Gas & Fuel Company
Areas: Industry/Transportation
In 1912 the Empire Gas and Fuel Company was formed as a
result of the consolidation of Barnsdall Oil and Indian
Territory Illuminating Oil, two of the oldest petroleum firms
in Oklahoma at that time. Empire Gas and Fuel became one of
the pioneers in the Oklahoma petroleum industry during the
next 25 years because it was one of the first companies to
establish a geology department for exploration in 1913 and it
developed the first petrochemical division based on natural
gas in 1927. Empire Gas and Fuel merged with Cities Service
in 1929 shortly after it constructed the natural gas compressor station at Mooreland for their trunkline which ran
from Pampa, Texas to Kansas City, Missouri.
Because of plummeting petroleum prices in the late
1920s, Empire Gas and Fuel recognized ~ need to construct
long distance pipelines to expand their'marketing potential
throughout the Midwest. It began work on its 20" natural gas
pipeline in 1927 and completed it in 1928. The trunkline ran
from Empire's natural gas fields in the Texas Panhandle near
Pampa to a refinery in Kansas City, Missouri. The only
trunk1ine booster station to be erected in Oklahoma at that
time was at Mooreland. The other gas compressor stations on
the Empire pipeline were at Pampa and Riggin, Texas and
Ottawa, Kansas. The 20" pipeline was one of the largest
carriers of natural gas across northwest Oklahoma during the
late 1920s and early 1930s.
'
76
The original pipeline compressor station complex at
Mooreland consisted of an engine room, auxiliary room, water
tower, cooling towers, a hotel, and nine shotgun houses. The
engine room contained four a-cylinder Cooper-Bessemer No. 133
piston driven compressor engines each with 1,000 horsepower.
The auxiliary room housed two a-cylinder Cooper-Bessemer Type
80 compressor engines used as back-up for the four main
engines.
All but the three nominated properties have been razed
or moved from the original complex. The hotel and houses
were razed in 1978 and the cooling towers were removed in
1972.
Empire Gas and Fuel merged with Cities Service Gas in
1929. The Mooreland station remained under Cities Service
ownership until 1983 when it was purchased by Northwest
Central Pipeline Company of Tulsa.
The Empire Gas and Fuel Compressor Station Complex provides a vital educational resource concerning early industrial complexes built during the oil boom periods including
design of buildings, use of construction materials, arrangement of buildings and structures, and positioning of the station in relation to pipeline systems.
Major Bibliographical References:
Personal Interview: Pete Alley, December, 1985.
Dolly Robbing, July, 1985.
Uren, Lester Charles. Petroleum Production Engineering.
New York: McGraw-Hill Book Co., 1939.
Geographical Data:
Acreage: Less than one acre
Quadrangle Name: Fairvalley SW, OK
Scale: 1:24,000
UTM: 14/482700/4040780--Engine Room
14/482690/4040695--Auxiliary Room
14/482660/4040720--Water Tower
Verbal Boundary:
Engine Room
•
At a point beginning approximately 500' NW of the center
of the intersection of Oklahoma Highway No. 50 and the Cities
Service Gas Compressor Station Access Road, proceed due north
180', then due west 55', then due south 180', then due east
55' to point of beginning. The nominated property lies within these said boundaries.
77
Auxiliary Room
At a point beginning approximately 250' NW of the center
of the intersection of Oklahoma Highway No. 50 and the Cities
Service Gas Compressor Station Access Road, proceed due east
135', then due north 40', then due west 135', then due south
40' to point of beginning. The nominated property lies within these said boundaries.
Water Tower
At a point beginning approximately 750' NW of the center
of the intersection of Oklahoma Highway No. 50 and the Cities
Service Gas Compressor Station Access Road, proceed due north
55', then due east 55', then due south 55', then due west 55'
to point of beginning. The nominated property lies within
these said boundaries.
78
NATIONAL REGISTER NOMINATIONS BY PROPERTY TYPE
GOVERNMENTAL
Tonkawa City Hall
Location:
Owner:
117 South Seventh Streett Tonkawa t OK
74653
City of Tonkawa t 117 South Seventh Street,
Tonkawa t OK 74653
Description:
Condition:
Excellent
The City Hall of Tonkawa is a two-storYt public building
with flat roof which is parapeted on all sides except rear.
This rectangular-shaped property is approximately 45' x 70'
and has a red brick wall finish laid in the running bond with
limestone trim painted white. It rests on a concrete block
foundation also painted white.
Significance:
Specific Dates: 1923-1930
Builder/Architect: Ellis Charles & Co.
(Architects)
L. S. Fisher (Builder)
Areas: Politics/Government/Architecture
Tonkawa was founded in 1894 t one year after the Cherokee
Outlet was opened for white settlement by the Land Run of
1893. By 1910 its population had reached 1 t 776 and served
primarily as a rural market center for the surrounding
agricultural area. During the next decade t Tonkawa's
population decreased to 1 t 448 t however t the opening of the
Tonkawa Oil Field t approximately three miles south of the
town t in 1921 changed the economic t social t and political
structure of the small agrarian-oriented community.
The Tonkawa Field was one of the most productive pools
in Oklahoma's petroleum history averaging 30 t OOO barrels of
crude oil per acre over a producing area which covered eight
square miles. During the period between 1920 and 1930 t
Tonkawa's population more than doubled to 3 t 311.
Community services of the small agricultural town were
sorely lacking as the oil boom transients and "boomchasers"
poured into the area. Housing t water supplies t health care
facilities, and law enforcement were of the utmost importance
to serve the burgeoning population. Illegal activities such
as gambling t prostitution t robbery, and other forms of vice
ran rampant during the boom era. It was reported that crime
was so prevalent in the Tonkawa Oil Field that prisoners were
often chained to telephone poles because no other facilities
were available (Franks t The Oklahoma Petroleum IndustrYt pp.
97-98).
79
The City Hall of Tonkawa was the first government building erected in the town as a result of the oil boom. It
played a vital role in the political and social history of
the community because of the need for law enforcement during
an era when crime and violence flourished and was a way of
life in the boomtowns. As the boom subsided by the late
1920s and early 1930s, a more stable population replaced the
earlier transients. The City Hall of Tonkawa has remained a
significant part of the Tonkawa community for more than 62
years making it the oldest continuously operating local
government building in the Tonkawa Oil Field region.
The City Hall of Tonkawa displays several Gothic Revival
features including the polychromatic appearance produced by
the use of contrasting brick and limestone materials, Tudor
arched entryway with stepped wall buttresses and battlemented
crowns, stepped parapet in front and crenellated parapets on
sides, decorative bands of limestone on facade which feature
minature trefoils and finial-like elements, and limestone
hood molds with corbel stops crowning openings in all sides
except rear. Additional decoration is provided by the limestone lug sills, rowlock brick course surrounding Tudor arch,
soldier brick course above first story rear openings, and a
modest limestone cornice and water table.
Major Bibliographical References:
Personal Interview: Dr. William Corbett, July, 1985.
Franks, Kenny A., The Oklahoma Petroleum Industry.
Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1980, pp. 97-98.
Geographical Data:
Acreage: Less than one acre
Quadrangle Name: Tonkawa, OK
Scale: 1:24,000
UTM: 14/651155/4060210
Verbal Boundary: Lots 15-16, Block 43, Original
Townsite of Tonkawa, Oklahoma.
80
81
NATIONAL REGISTER NOMINATIONS BY PROPERTY TYPE
SITES
Location:
Owner:
Vicinity of Covington, OK
ARCO Oil and Gas Company, Rural Route #1,
P.O. Box 86, Covington, OK 73730
Description:
Condition:
Excellent
The R. E. Hoy No. 1 Oil Well was drilled in September of
1916 on the R. E. Hoy Farm approximately five miles south of
Garber and fourteen miles east of Enid. It is located in the
NE 1/4, NE 1/4, NE 1/4, Section 25, Township 22 North, Range
4 West. The well was completed in the Hoy sand in the interval from 1138-50' for an initial production of 90 barrels of
crude oil per day. The Hoy No. 1 was drilled by cable tools
and completion was open hole with casing set at the top of
the producing formation. It had four sets of casing which
were not cemented. The well was cleaned out in 1928 and
again in 1941.
The Hoy No. 1 continued under primary production until
1940 when secondary methods were employed including gas
injection from 1941 to 1948 and waterflooding since 1948.
Significance:
Specific Dates: 1916-1928
Builder/Architect: Harry Sinclair (Driller)
Areas: Industrial
M. C. and Bert Garber, general store operators in the
town of Garber, obtained some leases in 1915 in the Billings
area and drilled a well that became a small producer. Stimulated by their initial success, the Garber Brothers hired
Dorsey Hager, a California geologist, who had come to Tulsa
seeking work in the Oklahoma oil fields. Hager began exploration work on a block of leases owned by the Garbers, one of
which was on the R. E. Hoy farm, approximately midway between
Garber and Covington.
Based on his geological research, Hager was certain that
oil existed in the area and suggested a drilling site to
Harry Sinclair in the Northeast corner of Section 25, Township 22 North, Range 4 West. Sinclair was pessimistic about
the potential of the site, but was under contract to the Garber Brothers to do their drilling.
The Hoy well test came in on Sunday, September 10, 1916.
About 4:00 a.m. it began flowing at ten minute intervals.
From approximately 1,150' down, the oil forced its way to the
surface in spouts that almost reached the top of the wooden
82
derrick. The well was completed in a new producing horizon
with an initial production of 90 barrels of crude per day.
That new horizon was to become one of the eleven sand formations that eventually produced in the Garber Field and was
thereafter known as the "Hoy Sand" because of its discovery
on the Hoy farm. According to two sources (Clark and
Franks), the Hoy No.1 Well was the first to be discovered
based on geological findings which lent considerable credibility to the geology profession and resulted in petroleum
companies establishing geology divisions within their corporate structure.
The Hoy No. 1 Well ushered in the Garber Field which by
late 1917 had a daily output averaging 2,000 barrels. By
1918 there were 760 producing wells in the Garber Field and
in 1919 daily production averaged 8,000 barrels. The Garber
Field production pea~ed in November of 1925 with 71,875
barrels of crude oil per day. Cumulative production by the
end of 1925 had reac~ed 16.8 million barrels.
Because of Sinciair Oil and Gas Company's success with
the Hoy No. 1 Well, the Garber Field attracted several of the
major companies and independent operators including Roxana
Petroleum, Healdton Oil and Gas, Cosden Oil and Gas, Marland
. Oil, and Atlantic Petroleum. Furthermore, the Garber Field
led to the establishment of the Champlin Oil Company, which
was to become one of·Olahoma's most successful petroleum
operations.
Major Bibliographical References:
Clark,James A.
Petroleum and Natural
Co., 1963, p. 112.
Franks, Kenny A., The Oklahoma Petroleum Industry.
Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1980, pp. 108-109.
"Field Description and History," Unpublished ms., ARCO
Oil and Gas Company, n.d.
Rister, Carl Coke. Oilt Titan of the Southwest.
Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1949, p. 139.
Clark, G. C. and C. 1. Cooper. "Kay, Grant, Garfield
and Noble Counties." Oklahoma Geological Survey Bulletin 40
(March, 1927), pp. 89-90.
Personal Interview: Hanna Long, July, 1985.
Geographical Data:
Acreage: Less than one acre·
Quadrangle Name: Garber, OK
Scale: 1:62,500
UTM: 14/628060/4024240
Verbal Boundary:
At a point beginning approximately 100' south and 100'
west of the center of the intersection of the north and east
section line roads for Section 25, T22N, R4W, proceed due
south 30', then due west 30', then due north 30', then due
east 30' to the point of beginning. The nominated property
lies within these boundaries.
83
84
Summary and Recommendations
SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Prior survey work in Study Unit II had uncovered eight historic properties related to the energy theme, one of which had received National Register
designation --E. W. Marland Mansion in Ponca City (Table 1 in Chapter 1).
The
Marland Mansion was the residence of E. W. Marland, pioneer petroleum industrialist, who founded the Marland Refining Company and opened several oil
fields in north central Oklahoma.
The remaining seven properties listed on
the O.L.I. were a mixture of types located in four counties.
They included
another property associated with E. W. Marland (Marland Estate Stables in
Ponca City); two properties in Enid associated with H. H. Champlin, founder of
Champlin Petroleum Company (Champlin Home and Champlin Refinery); a third
property in Enid associated with Charles Knox, founder of Knox Refining
Company (Knox Building); a site of an oil field in Kay County near Tonkawa
(Three Sands); a historic service station in Ellis County (Flight Service
Station); and an oil supply station in Harper County.
This preliminary search
gave the project staff some initial indication of the types of historic
resources they might expect to find in Study Unit II.
Six of the eight pre-
viously identified resources were located in two counties in the eastern part
of the study unit where a majority of the historic petroleum fields were opened (Kay and Garfield).
The other two energy-related properties were located
in Harper and Ellis Counties, two of the westernmost counties in the study
unit, where little petroleum activity occurred during the chronological limits
of the project.
In classifying the 58 O.L.I. properties identified and evaluated in Study
Unit II, buildings ranked first with a total of 36, or 62%; structures with
18, or 31%; and sites with 4, or 7%, ranked second and third.
87
No historic
objects were listed on the O.L.I.
In regard to property types, almost one-
third (32.8%) were industrial-related buildings, structures, and sites.
Recreational/educational properties (Lew Wentz Camp) were second (29.3%) followed by dwellings (17.2%) and commercial (12.1%).
The remaining properties
were related to government (two city halls), fraternal orders (one Masonic
Temple and one Oddfellows Lodge) and schools (one boom era school) for a total
of five, or 8.6%.
Over one-half of the O.L.I. properties were constructed
during the 1920-1929 period (57%).
The 1930-1939 era produced 36.2%.
The
remainder of the properties were built during the period immediately following
statehood, 1907-1919 (7%).
There were no nominations from the pre-statehood
time frame (Table 2).
From the O.L.I. list, 21 properties were determined eligible for National
Register nomination.
This figure represented slightly more than one-third of
the O.L.I. total (36.2%).
Approximately 90% of the properties nominated to
the National Register were classified as buildings.
structures or sites.
The other 10% were either
Industrial-related properties accounted for slightly
more than one-half of the National Register nominations (52.4%).
The next
highest property type was dwellings (33.3%), followed by commercial (9.5%) and
government (4.8%).
nominations.
The 1920-1929 period yielded 90% of National Register
The only other time period represented was the 1907-1919 era
with two, or 10% (Table 2).
Statistical analysis of survey results indicate that substantial numbers
of historic resources associated with the petroleum industry had retained
their historic and/or architectural integrity.
Furthermore, those historic
properties related to the petroleum industry consisted of a wide variety of
buildings, structures, and sites.
Included were a gas processing plant, a
production camp machine shop, a natural gas compressor station, a multi-
88
Table 2
Statistical Results of RP3 Survey
STUDY UNIT II
Classification
O.L.I.
T
N.R.H.P.
-----
Buildings
36
19
Structures
18
1
Sites
4
1
Objects
0
0
-----Property Types
O.L.I.
N.R.H.P.
Industrial
19
11
Commercial
7
2
Dwellings
10
7
Churches
1
0
Schools
0
0
Fraternal Lodges
2
0
Government
2
1
17
0
Recreational/Educational
---Period of Construction
----N.R.H.P.
0.1.1.
---Pre-Statehood
0
0
1907 - 1919
4
2
1920 - 1929
33
19
1930 - 1939
21
89
1._
0
purpose pipeline pumping terminal, and the first oil well in the Garber Field.
The overwhelming number of properties (19/21) identified from the 1920-1929
era can be attributed to the Garber and Tonkawa booms which reached their peak
during the 1920s.
It is somewhat surprising that only two properties origi-
nated in the 1907-1919 time frame because that was when several fields in the
study unit were opened including Ponca (1910), Newkirk-Mervine (1913), Blackwell (1914), and Billings (1917).
These fields, however, were much smaller
both in areal coverage and total production.
In examining the National Register nominations from a spatial perspective, four counties were designated as high priority counties after completion
of the reconnaissance survey.
Selection of these counties was based on the
location of the thirteen producing pools in the four easternmost counties
(Kay, Garfield, Grant, and Noble).
Sixteen of the twenty-one National Regis-
ter nominations were found in the high priority counties.
Kay, where a major-
ity of the north central Oklahoma oil pools were located; and Garfield, where
the Garber Field was discovered, were the most productive.
Woodward and
Harper, two of the low priority counties, generated the other five nominations.
These five properties were related to the pipeline companies which
built booster stations in western Oklahoma to help transport petroleum products from Texas to refineries or marketing outlets in Missouri and Illinois.
Grant and Noble, two of the four high priority counties, produced no National
Register nominations.
This was surprising because considerable petroleum
activity occurred in each of these counties during the 1920s (Table 3).
Six of the eight Kay County properties were located in Ponca City, the
center of oil field activity for north central Oklahoma and the base for several oil field companies including Marland Oil.
The other two were identified
in Tonkawa, also a node of boom development because of its close proximity to
90
Table 3
NATIONAL REGISTER NOMINATIONS BY COUNTY
STUDY UNIT II
Property Type
Name
Number
Kay
8
5 Dwellings
2 Commercial Buildings
1 Government Building
Garfield
8
5 Industrial Buildings
2 Dwellings
1 Industrial Site
Woodward
3
2 Industrial Buildings
1 Industrial Structure
Harper
2
2 Industrial Buildings
Alfalfa
o
Grant
o
Woods
o
--------------Ellis
o
Noble
o
-------_._------_ - - ..
Major
o
91
NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES NOMINATIONS
RP3
STUDY
UNIT
II
••
.
<)
HARPER
GRANT
\0
N
ALFALFA
••
o
KAY
AA
e0
••
••
WOODWARD
elLIS
MAJOR
.. DWElLING
.. COMMERCIAL BlD.
• INDUSTRIA l Bl D.
<) GOVERNMENT
BlD.
o INDUSTRIAL STRUCTURE
e INDUSTRIAL SITE
1'0",
GAR FielD
NOBLE
I
N
the Tonkawa, or Three Sands Field.
All Garfield County nominations were found in either Enid (2) or in the
heart of the Garber Field (6), approximately halfway between the communities
of Garber and Covington (Figure 5).
Areal coverage of Study Unit II included 6,663 square miles at the
reconnaissance level and 3,754 square miles at the intensive level for a total
of 10,417 square miles.
PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED
As was the case with Study Unit V in 1984, one of the major problems
faced by the project staff was the extensive area of Study Unit II.
The
thematic and chronological elements of the RP3 plan does provide limits on the
type of properties and time frame of properties to be surveyed.
On the other
hand, the magnitude of a ten county study unit is overwhelming when one begins
to examine the archival materials as well as surveying the area even on a
reconnaissance basis.
As in 1984, there was a certain degree of overlap between energy and the
other RP3 themes, especially industrial.
The latter theme was being studied
by the Department of History at Oklahoma State University.
Because of fre-
qllent contact with the coordinator of the industrial project, I was able to
k~ep
him informed of the industrial properties identified under the energy
theme.
A problem encountered in Study Unit II which we did not experience in
Study Unit V was that two major oil boomtowns which emerged in the 1920s were
now "ghost towns."
Kaw City in Kay County was flooded with the construction
of the Kaw Dam by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in the 1960s.
And Three
Sands, located on the county line between Kay and Noble Counties, had
93
deteriorated to nothing more than a few building foundations.
According to
Morris' Ghost Towns of Oklahoma, these two oil field communities once boasted
of extensive commercial districts, social institutions such as schools and
churches, and several industrial properties.
These two communities could
have proven to be rich in energy-related historic resources had they survived
into the 1980s.
One field worker appeared frustrated during the latter part of the survey
because such few energy-related properties existed in two of the high priority
counties (Grant and Garfield).
In contrast, the field worker assigned to Kay
and Noble Counties, the other two top priority counties, was somewhat overwhelmed by the number and quality of resources found.
Consequently, the field
worker, who was assigned to the six low priority counties, was shifted to Kay
and Noble Counties once the reconnaissance survey was completed.
Minor problems resulted from lack of attention to detail while in the
field.
A few properties required additional archival research, field work,
and telephone interviews.
Heavy vegetation during the summer months as well
as muddy roads prevented field workers from covering some of the area.
These
problems were resolved by further field work during the fall months after
freezing and drying conditions occurred.
In conclusion, the Study Unit II project was generally a much smoother
operation than Study Unit V.
program exprience in 1984.
The project staff profit ted from our first RP3
Field workers were more familiar with the RP3 plan
and had a better sense of how to identify and evaluate energy-related
resources.
We also became more selective in our resource evaluation process.
Local informants were more enthusiastic and cooperative than in 1984 and we
received more input from local groups such as county and city historical
societies.
94
Several of these matters will be addressed in the section on recommendations.
SPECIAL INTEREST ITEMS
Kay and Garfield Counties proved to be an unusually fruitful areas for
historic buildings, structures, and sites related to the petroleum industry of
the 1920's boom era.
A noteworthy aspect of the survey was the number of
properties representative of the different stages of the petroleum industry.
A few examples demonstrate the broad spectrum of property types:
a.
The discovery well in the Garber Field (R. E. Hoy No.1) which was
also recorded as the first well in Oklahoma to be drilled based on
findings by a professional geologist.
b.
The only gas processing plant in the Garber Field (Sinclair Gas Plant
No.6).
It performs much the same function today as it did when
first opened in 1921.
c.
The first production company camp in the Garber Field constructed by
Sinclair Oil and Gas Company.
I.
Unfortunately, only one building re-
tained its historic/architectural integrity (Sinclair Machine Shop).
d.
The only natural gas compressor station operated by Empire Gas and
Fuel Company, one of the pioneer petroleum firms in Oklahoma.
e.
The only Phillips Pipeline Booster Station in northwest Oklahoma.
It
served the multi-purpose pipeline which ran from Borger, Texas to
Kansas City, Missouri.
Equally outstanding were the residences associated with petroleum executives, especially those who worked for Marland Oil during its heyday in the
1920s.
All of these individuals played important roles in the various divis-
ions of the Marland Company, some served as Vice-Presidents.
95
Examples includ-
ed the Sheldon, Lucas, Cleary, Alcorn, and von der Gracht Homes in Ponca City.
Additional dwellings associated with petroleum families were the McKee Horne in
Tonkawa and the Eason Horne in Enid.
Boom town development spawned more buildings to cope with increased economic, commercial, and political activity.
The number of boom town buildings
surveyed was substantial, but due to alterations and deterioration, only three
retained their integrity -- two 1920s commercial structures financed by E. W.
Marland in Ponca City and the Tonkawa City Hall erected as a result of boom
town evolution.
Only a few boom town churches and schools were identified,
especially when compared to the number and quality nominated from Study Unit
V.
Perhaps the lack of historic boom town properties can be attributed, in
part, to the fact that several of the boom towns no longer exist, e.g., Kaw
City and Three Sands.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR RP3 PROJECT ON ENERGY
Based on the results of the "Historic Resources Associated With Energy
Development in Northwest Oklahoma:
1910-1930" RP3 project, the following
recommendations are offered:
(1)
Continuation of the energy theme to other study units in Oklahoma,
especially Study Units III, IV, and VI.
This recommendation is
based on historic context background material gathered for Oklahoma
energy development in other areas of the state beyond Study Unit II.
Study Units III and VI contain significant petroleum fields and
Study Unit IV contains significant coal mines.
Furthermore, the
evaluation process has strengthened the credibility of energy as a
viable theme because it has played such an important role in the
economic, industrial, and social history of the state.
96
(2)
In the analysis of historic resources in Study Unit II, the energy
theme included only petroleum-related properties because petroleum
was the dominant form of energy in south central Oklahoma.
It is
recommended that additional non-renewable resources pertinent to
energy in Oklahoma will need to be incorporated in Study Units III
and IV where coal production has been a historically significant
energy source.
This recommendation is also based on historic
context background data on Oklahoma energy resources.
(3)
More involvement in the energy theme by petroleum companies,
petroleum-related organizations, and interested individuals in identifying the kinds of historic properties associated with energy and
suitable protective measures to be taken.
One example of a petrol-
eum company to be encouraged in preservation planning is Atlantic-
•
Richfield Corporation (ARCO) which has an excellent record in Oklahoma in terms of preservation interest and cooperative relationships.
Their Drumright Gasoline Plant No. 2 was placed on the
National Register in 1980 and they take great pride in the historic
value of this industrial complex as well as maintaining its historic
integrity.
AReO owns two properties (Sinclair Gas Plant No. 6 and
R. E. Hoy No. 1 Well) which were nominated to the National Register
from Study Unit II.
They should be encouraged to follow protective
measures for these properties similar to those they practiced for
the Drumright plant.
One organization which has assumed an active
role in the petroleum heritage of Oklahoma is the Oklahoma-Kansas
Oil and Gas Association.
It should likewise be contacted to help in
the planning process concerning energy resources in Oklahoma.
97
(4)
Integration of the results of the RP3 project into the overall comprehensive plans of city and regional agencies located in Study Unit
II as well as state and federal agencies which have activities in
the area under consideration.
Copies of this report should be dis-
seminated to city planning departments in Ponca City, Enid, and
Tonkawa.
Reports should also be distributed to the sub-state plann-
ing agencies represented in Study Unit II.
These agencies serve as
coordination points and clearinghouses for federal, state, and local
issues, programs, and activities.
Study Unit II (Figure 6).
Two have counties located in
Six of the ten counties are in NODA
(Northern Oklahoma Development Association) and four in OEDA
(Oklahoma Economic Development Association).
Finally, the Oklahoma
Department of Economic and Community Affairs (DECA) should be
apprised of the results of the RP3 program on energy development,
especially the Oklahoma Main Street Program Coordinator.
(5)
Results should be reported to local historical societies, local
preservation commissions, and any other private organization
interested in preservation planning.
This type of information would
be valuable for coordination of local preservation planning,
especially in setting priorities and goals.
(6)
Reports should be made available to property owners, realtor
associations, and real estate developers in the affected study unit
to make them aware of preservation efforts at the local level and
the number and types of historic resources in their respective
communities.
(7)
Development of educational programs in Study Unit II to create a
regional awareness of the historic significance of petroleum.
98
This
(, ..
r
r
RELATIONSHIP
mu
..... I\/UIIIN
.
N
..l
('
hi lilA
K....llchl
,,_Ie
O'v.l.......nl blatrlc& 01 OILlahoma
S.,.h.n, OILI.I_ Doo...lopment . . .latloa
,'lIt j.1I
(......,.1 Okl.homa Roonotnla Ilev.........nt Illelrld
1/,/,'llIi
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A.-''';
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SWIIIlA
UUIA
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reo.
r-""
RP-3 STUDY UN IT TO SUB,-STATE PLANNING DISTRICTS
Old~ Otmnment.
lIo..th Weeteru OklaJ- Dev.lopoen& Autborlt,
In.l.h...... E.»nomlc Doowelo&-al "-'cI.t....
.·:·:·:·:·:·:·.·.1:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:·:· ...•.•.•....:.•....•..............:
::"o::~:~:~:~::: iii:::iii:::: iii::::::::::::=:::.:.: -,
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:::::::::::::::::. iii:::::iii::::::::iii:iii::: iii::::::::iii:iii::~:~· eo;.::::;".:
:::::::::::::::::; ';;;;;;::::::;:;:;:;:;::::':::
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IIECIUIAIl
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wii;;ii
,
I
V
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I
I
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CANAUlAM
'\WASHrrA
,
;IAXIAM
l'!;;
•
jCll8T1lR
,_.-'-._._._._._. " ..
._.-.
'0
IlLAINI lIKIN<lFUlII£R
......
l1-._.):,
J
\0
\0
I'M ..
1""'-"
ru"~~ OEI!:!!I!!!!!:i'!.i!!i!!lli!lillili:l;il;II'I·~:~~
Iil ~ l e
nU. 0I0ILI.'- Eoonomle Dev.topm.nt Ilielr!c&
t "1111 t:••,... n O.. I."'"".lle".IIII_nt n..trlc&
...... '1"1
OF
f"F'
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',.,".
.. h~ I
,. t • /I
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f< .
1'-
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--;;;;"';8'
IIJI'EP.....
.'.~ .110_.
l._.r·-...I
corru
I
t,;-imiiSliii""-
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L
.r· . .I LAnMG ~
r
_.JIV:i'iMATAii~- \
KI~ I) {;t~"rAiM
\ w-:'-
J
COMANCiis
_ _ . .-L
---........
~-·-·~.1_,,___ ~
II'Otl1Uroc r-
J
,
··-EUlUlAY
.......
jltllllfill
T~'-'.1
SODA
-._L,
_.
r'IATOKA
r-'
l._._."\-)BitYi.H'-'
_._.------lMAIISIIAU,'
,WVJl
•
o
I
...
f
MILES
50I
hrt'lIlllt(
1
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,,_-.n.
type of activity was completed in 1981 as a follow-up to a preservation planning project in the Cushing Oil Field.
Funded by public
agencies (National Endowment for the Humanities and the Oklahoma
Foundation for the Humanities) and private monies from two energy
companies (Williams Brothers and Sun Industries), a series of interpretive programs was produced and presented in four oil field communities.
Slide/tape packages and a walking/driving tour map and
text were presented and distributed to public schools, municipal
libraries, and senior citizen's centers.
This type of program is
valuable in placing the significance of petroleum into the historic
context of Oklahoma and the important part a particular study unit
played in the petroleum history of Oklahoma.
(8)
Evaluate the interrelationships between energy and the other ten
themes designated by the State Historic Preservation Office.
It is
apparent that energy is closely related to the industrial, commercial, and urban themes.
Some type of coordination is .needed in
order to determine the historical relationships between these related themes and how RP3 projects covering individual themes fit into
the overall comprehensive preservation plan for Oklahoma which
includes all eleven themes.
(9)
Promote interdisciplinary research for the development of historic
contexts for the energy theme.
Disciplines should include histor-
ians (urban/social/economic), geographers (cultural/historical/
urban), petroleum geologists, and industrial archeologists.
This
recommendation would provide fresh perspectives and new insights to
the theme.
100
(10)
Finally, Oklahoma with its large reserves of crude oil and natural
gas must be considered as a major energy producing state for many
decades to come.
Petroleum, natural gas, and natural gas liquids
have always and continue to dominate the energy industry in Oklahoma.
These minerals account for more than 90 percent of both the
value of the state's mineral wealth and its mining employment.
Oklahoma's energy history is so closely interwoven into its entire
past that this theme must be given continued consideration in the
formulation of a comprehensive preservation plan for the state.
If
this second RP3 project on energy is to serve as a predictive model,
it is recommended that energy be made a permanent part of resource
protection planning in the future because so many historic resources, directly or indirectly, are related to energy development
in the state.
How to deal with this theme now will provide future
generations of Oklahomans an opportunity to plan more effectively in
regard to the preservation of historic and cultural resources associated with energy development.
101
Bibliography
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Those sources found to be most helpful are marked with an asterisk.
Theses and Dissertations
*DeBerry, Drue Lemuel. "The Ethos of the Oklahoma Oil Boom Frontier,
1905-1929." Master's Thesis, University of Oklahoma, 1970.
*Forbes, Charles G.
in Oklahoma."
"The Origin and Early Development of the Oil Industry
Ph.D. Dissertation, University of Oklahoma, 1939.
*Gilbert, James L. "Three Sands: Oklahoma Oil Field and Community of the
1920s." Master's Thesis, University of Oklahoma, 1967.
Parker, Albert Raymond. "Life and Labor in the Mid-Continent Oil Fields,
1859-1954." Ph.D. Disertation, University of Oklahoma, 1951.
Pratt, Ernest S. "The Tonkawa Field of North Central Oklahoma."
Thesis, University of Oklahoma, 1923.
*Turner, Alvin O. "The Regulation of the Oklahoma Oil Industry."
Dissertation, Oklahoma State University, 1977.
Master's
Ph.D.
Newspapers
Blackwell Morning Tribune.
Ponca City News.
Tonkawa News.
Published Material
American Association of Petroleum Geologists. Trek of the Oil Finders: A
History of Exploration for Petroleum. Tulsa: American Association of
Petroleum Geologists, 1975.
Oil Fields.
Vol. I, London:
Structure of Typical American
Thomas Murby and Co., 1929.
105
Anderson, Robert o. Fundamentals of the Petroleum Industry.
University of Oklahoma Press, 1984.
Ball, Max. This Fascinating Oil Business.
Company, 1940.
Indianapolis:
Baker, Ron. A Primer of Oilwell Drilling.
Service, University of Texas, 1979.
Austin:
Bass, Henry B. "Herbert Hiram Champlin."
(No.1), Spring, 1955, pp. 43-48.
Clark, J. Stanley.
Era. Norman:
Norman:
Bobbs-Merrill
Petroleum Extension
Chronicles of Oklahoma,
Vol. 33
The Oil Century: From the Drake Well to the Conservation
University of Oklahoma Press, 1958.
*Clark, James A. The Chronolo
Industries. Houston: C
and Natural Gas
*Clark, G. C. and Cooper, C. L. "Kay, Grant, Garfield, and Noble Counties."
Oklahoma Geological Survey Bulletin No. 40, Vol. 2 (July, 1930), pp.
67-105.
Clark, G. C. and Aurin, F. L. "The Tonkawa Field, Oklahoma," Bulletin of the
American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Vol. X (192~pp. 885-91.
Craighead, David.
pp. 22-25.
"Treasure in the Redbeds," Oklahoma Today, XVI (1966),
Continential Oil Company. Conoco: The First One Hundred Years.
Dell Publishing Company, 1975.
Crumley, Russell W.
Roughneck.
Evanston:
Ezell, John Samuel. Innovations in Energy:
University of Oklahoma Press, 1979.
New York:
Row Peterson and Company, 1941.
The Story of Kerr-McGee.
Norman:
Finney, Frank F., Sr. "The Indian Territory Illuminating Oil Company."
Chronicles of Oklahoma, Vol. 37, No.2 (Summer, 1959), pp. 149-61.
*Forbes, Gerald. Flush Production: The Epic of Oil in the Gulf-Southwest.
Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1942.
106
• "Southwestern
-----Vol. 18, No.4 (1939), pp.
Oil Boom Towns."
393-400.
*Franks, Kenny A. The Oklahoma Petroleum Industry.
Oklahoma Press, 1980.
Station:
Chronicles of Oklahoma,
Norman:
University of
Early Oklahoma Oil: A Photographic History.
Texas A&M University Press, 1981.
•
College
The Rush Begins: A History of the Red Fork, Cleveland and
OKlahoma City: Western Heritage Books, 1984.
----~G~l-e-n-n~P-o-o~I~Oil Fields.
*Fundamentals of Petroleum.
of Texas, 1981.
Garvin, C.C., Jr.
No.2, 1981.
Austin:
"New Directions in the Energy Industry."
*Glasscock, Carl B. Then Came Oil:
York: Bobbs-Merrill, 1938.
Gregory, Robert.
Petroleum Extension Service, University
Oil in Oklahoma.
Exxon, Vol. 20,
The Story of the Last Frontier.
Muskogee:
New
Leake Industries, 1976.
Hasterman, J. F. "The Tonkawa Oil and Gas Field, Oklahoma," Bulletin of the
American Association of Petroleum Geologists, VIII (1924), pp. 284-300.
*Johnson, Kenneth S., ~ al. Geology and Earth Resources of Oklahoma.
Norman: Oklahoma Geological Survey, 1972.
Keso, Edward E. "The Old and New Oil Field Community."
Vol. 38 (No.4), 1939, pp. 156-163.
Journal of
Geogr~,
Knowles, Ruth Sheldon. The Greatest Gamblers: The Epic of American Oil
Exploration. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1959.
*Lage, Gerald M., Ronald L. Moomaw, and Larkin Warner. A Profile of Oklahoma:
Economic Development 1950-1975. Oklahoma City: Frontiers of Science
Foundation, 1977.
*Lagenkamp, Robert D. The Illustrated Petroleum Reference Dictionary.
Petroleum Publishing Company, 1980.
107
Tulsa:
J
Lambert, Paul F. and Kenny A. Franks, eds., Voices from the Oil Fields.
Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1984.
Litton, Gaston. History of Oklahoma.
Publishing Company, 1957.
4 Vols.
New York:
Lewis Historical
McCaslin, Leigh S., Jr. "Southwest Quickly Dominated Nation's Petroleum
Supply," The Oil and Gas Journal, L (May Supplement 1951), pp. 258-305.
"Southwest, U.S.A.--Birthplace of Rotary Drilling,"
The Oil and Gas Journal, L (May Supplement 1951), pp. 222-251.
*Mills-Bullard, Bess, ed., "Digest of Oklahoma Oil and Gas Fields." Oklahoma
Geological Survey Bulletin No. 40, Vol. 1 (July, 1928), pp. 101-276.
Minerals in the Economy of Oklahoma. Washington, D.C.:
United States Department of the Interior, 1978.
*Morris, John W. Ghost Towns of Oklahoma.
Press, 1977.
Norman:
Bureau of the Mines,
University of Oklahoma
*
,ed. Drill Bits, Picks, and Shovels: A History of Mineral
Resources in Oklahoma. Oklahoma City: Oklahoma Historical Society,
1982.
*
, ed. Cities of Oklahoma.
Society, 1979.
Oklahoma City:
*Morris, John W., et.al. Historical Atlas of Oklahoma.
Oklahoma Press, 1977.
"Oil and Gas in Oklahoma."
Vol. 2 (July, 1930).
Oklahoma Historical
Norman:
University of
Oklahoma Geological Survey Bulletin No. 40,
Peattie, Roderick. "Hunting Oil in Oklahoma."
(No.5), 1922, pp. 630-641.
Atlantic Monthly, Vol. 129
Redfield, John S. Mineral Resources in Oklahoma.
Geological Survey, 1927.
108
Norman:
Oklahoma
Rinehart, Ira. "Survey of Northern Oklahoma Fields," The Oil and Gas Journal,
XXI (September 21, 1922), pp. 94-102.
*Rister, Carl Coke. Oil! Titan of the Southwest.
Oklahoma Press, 1949.
*Sinclair Oil and Gas Company. A Great Name in Oil:
Years. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1966.
Norman:
University of
Sinclair Through Fifty
Tait, Samuel W. The Wildcatters: An Informal History of Oil-Hunting In
America. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1946.
Uren, Lester Charles. Petroleum Production En ineerin
Exploration. New Yor :
*
New York:
Petroleum Production Engineering:
McGraw-Hill Company, 1946.
Oil Field
Oil Field Development.
Williamson, Harold F., et. al. The American Petroleum Industry: The Age
of Energy 1899-1959. Evanston: Northwestern University Press, 1963.
Wilson, c.o. "Phenomenal Growth Marks Natural-Gasoline Expansion in
Southwest," The Oil and Gas Journal, L (May Supplement 1951), pp.
374-392.
"Southwest is Hub of the Pipe-Line Industry," The Oil and
Gas Journal, L (May Supplement 1951), pp. 400-450.
"Journal-log of Southwestern Oil," The Oil and Gas Journal,
L (May Supplement 1951), pp. 164-185.
109
Recent United States Census Data
for Study Unit II
---------------------------
REGIONAL ANALYSIS
Northwest Oklahoma (Study Unit II) is composed of ten counties with a
combined population of 189,018 (1980 U.S. Census) and a total area of 10,417
square miles.
The region roughly corresponds with the historic Cherokee
Outlet which was provided in Article 2 of the New Echota Treaty, an agreement
reached at New Echota, Georgia on December 29, 1935 between the United States
government and representatives of the Eastern Cherokees.
In 1866, the Treaty
of Washington provided for the settlement of several tribes in the Cherokee
Outlet.
The Osage and Kaw tribes were settled in the portion of the Cherokee
Outlet lying between the Arkansas River and the 96th meridian.
Other tribes
settled in the Cherokee Outlet were the Ponca, Nez Perce, Otoe-Missouri, and
Tonkawa.
The Cherokee Outlet was opened for white settlement by the Land Run
of September 16, 1893.
In 1904 and 1906 the lands of the Ponca, Otoe and
Missouri, and Kaw tribes were distributed among the tribal citizens and were
not opened to white settlement.
In terms of land area, Woods is the largest
county with 1,298 square miles, whereas Noble is the smallest with 743.
The 1980 census indicates that Garfield has 62,820 inhabitants ranking it
first in total population while Harper has only 4,715 people which is the
least of all ten counties.
Comparative data show that four counties have
experienced a decrease in total population from 1970 to 1980:
Harper, and Woods.
Alfalfa, Grant,
The most urbanized county is Garfield with over 80 per
cent of its population living in cities of 2,500 or more.
Four counties
(Alfalfa, Ellis, Grant, and Harper) contain no urban population.
Three
counties (Alfalfa, Grant, and Woods) have a population of approximately 20 per
cent which is 65 years of age or over while Garfield has the least percentage
(13.1) of people 65 or over.
All ten counties contain less than 4 per cent
black population (Table III).
113
Economic statistics based on 1980 census show that Garfield has the
highest per capita income ($7,744) and Woodward has highest median family
income ($20,715).
Noble has the lowest per capita income ($6,476) and Ellis
has the lowest median family income ($16,591).
Garfield and Kay rank as the
top two counties in the region in terms of value added by manufacture with
152.2 million and 100.8 million, respectively (Table VIII).
Mineral industry
data for 1977 show that Major, Garfield, and Woodward rank well above the
other seven counties in both number of employees and value added in mining
(Table IX).
Garfield and Kay rank as the top two counties in both wholesale and
retail trade based on 1977 figures (Table X).
devoted to agriculture as of 1978.
Ellis has the most acreage
The 1978 agriculture census shows that
Alfalfa, Harper, and Garfield are the top three counties in terms of value of
farm products (Table XI).
More detailed information on the socioeconomic characteristics of Study
Unit 2 is provided in Tables I-XI.
114
STUDY UNIT-REGION 2
TABLE I
SOURCE:
1980 Census of Population
115
STUDY UNIT - REGION 2
TABLE II
r--T
COUNTY
LAND
AREA
(SQ.MI.)
TOTAL
I
POPULATION
J
-----PER
SQ.MI.
% 65
PER CAPITA
INCOHE
(DOLLARS)
I
MEDIAN
FAMILY
INCOME
(DOLLARS)
URBAN
BLACK
%
%
FOREIGN
STOCK %
.7
5.9
4,239
6,508
9.3
3,886
6,571
& OVER
---a
868
7,224
8
22.7
Ellis
1,242
5,129
4
19.6
0
Garfield
1,054
56,343
55
13.5
80.5
3.7
5.8
4,262
8,063
Grant
1,007
7,117
7
21.4
a
>.05
7.3
3,812
6,289
Harper
1,041
9,578
5
15.4
0
1.0
1.0
3,681
7,357
Kay
950
48,791
50
16.2
77.7
1.5
4.0
4,351
8,271
Major
963
7,529
8
16.6
37.6
.1
7.7
3,662
6,681
Noble
743
10,043
14
16.5
55.7
2.7
6.3
3,832
6,702
Woods
1,298
11,920
8
19.4
63.0
.6
6.1
4,273
7,037
Woodward
1,251
15,537
13
12.5
56.1
.3
4.3
4,285
8,258
Alfalfa
SOURCE:
1970 Census of POEulation
116
°
STUDY UNIT - REGION 2
TABLE III
POPULATION
COUNTY
LAND
AREA
(SQ.MI.)
TOTAL
PER
SQ.MI.
% 65
&
OVER
864
7,077
8.2
21.7
Ellis
1,232
5,596
4.5
18.7
Garfield
1,060
62,820
59.3
13.1
Grant
1,004
6,518
6.5
22.8
Alfalf
URBAN
BLACK
%
%
.65
°
°
80.5
°
3.23
°
.13
1,039
4,715
4.5
18.3
Kay
921
49,852
54.1
16.2
°
°
76.6
Major
958
8,772
9.2
16.7
38.4
Noble
236
11,573
15.7
16.6
50.1
°
2.03
Woods
1,291
10,923
8.5
20.4
58.7
.49
Woodward
1,242
21,172
17.0
11.1
64.3
.25
Harper
1.89
FOREIGN
STOCK %
DATA
NOT
AVAILABLE.
DATA
NOT
AVAILABLE.
DATA
NOT
AVAILABLE.
PER CAPITA
INCOME
(DOLLARS)
MEDIAN
FAMILY
INCOME
(DOLLARS)
7,175
17,537
6,817
16,591
7,744
19,692
7,092
16,965
7,646
20,045
7,333
18,862
7,120
17,200
6,476
17,212
7,441
17,532
7,601
20,715
-SOURCE:
1980 Census of Population
117
STUDY UNIT - REGION 2
TABLE IV
HOUSING, 1970
TOTAL
UNITS
OWNER
OCCUPIED
MANUFACTURES, 1972
NEW UNITS
1976
TOTAL
EST.
COUNTY
20 OR MORE
EMPLOYEES
100 OR MORE
EMPLOYEES
%
%
VALUE ADDED BY
MANUFACTURE
(MIL. DOL.)
Alfalfa
3,246
2,724
18
3
Ellis
2,192
1,918
(NA)
5
20,747
19,062
782
Grant
3,126
2,703
(NA)
7
Harper
2,039
1,768
29
3
19,065
17,111
212
60
30.0
6.7
Major
3,030
2,655
62
7
28.6
0
2.6
Noble
3,954
3,489
94
8
12.5
12.5
(D)
Woods
4,747
4,165
33
17
5.9
0
2.8
Woodward
5,760
5,178
440
13
15.4
7.7
3.8
Garfield
Kay
(D)
65
= Withheld to avoid disclosure
SOURCES:
1972 Census of Manufactures
1970 Census of Housing
118
°
°
21.5
°
°
°
°
9.2
°
°
.1
.1
47.1
.4
.1
56.0
STUDY UNIT - REGION 2
TABLE V
WHOLESALE TRADE, 1972
COUNTY
ESTABLISHMENTS
RETAIL TRADE, 1972
TOTAL SALES
MIL. DOL.
TOP THREE RETAIL TYPES
TOTAL
GAS
STATIONS
EATING &
DRINKING
PLACES
FOOD
STORES
--
Alfalfa
21
(D)
131
20
28
18
Ellis
15
4.8
88
14
18
6
163
349.0
659
82
146
50
Grant
35
20.1
94
18
20
11
Harper
13
4.5
80
13
10
9
104
63.4
602
76
106
61
Major
21
19.5
100
21
16
10
Noble
23
23.1
143
19
28
12
Woods
28
8.9
186
25
35
15
Woodward
61
55.3
241
23
44
19
Garfield
Kay
(D) = Withheld to avoid disclosure
SOURCES:
1972 Census of Wholesale Trade
1972 Census of Retail Trade
119
STUDY UNIT - REGION 2
TABLE VI
MINERAL INDUSTRIES, 1972
ESTABLISHMENTS
TOTAL EMPLOYEES
VALUE OF SHIPMENTS
& RECEIPTS
(MIL. DOL.)
Alfalfa
57
.1
10.9
10.0
Ellis
48
.2
10.5
8.4
127
.6
45.8
31.9
Grant
55
.1
6.9
3.7
Harper
76
.1
37.7
19.0
Kay
65
.2
29.4
11.1
Major
109
.5
56.2
42.2
Noble
67
.2
5.8
5.0
Woods
55
.1
13.6
12.3
Woodward
95
.7
49.4
26.7
COUNTY
Garfield
SOURCE:
1972 Census of Minerals
120
VALUE ADDED IN
MINING
(MIL. DOL.)
STUDY UNIT - REGION 2
TABLE VII
AGRICULTURE, 1974
COUNTY
TOTAL FARMS
TOTAL ACREAGE
(l,000)
AVERAGE
SIZE OF FARMS
(ACRES)
VALUE OF FARM PRODUCTS
WITH SALES OF 2,510 & OVER
(MIL. DOL.)
Alfalfa
974
489
502
45.2
Ellis
702
705
1,004
20.4
Garfield
1,434
657
458
44.6
Grant
1,584
595
546
39.5
545
634
1,164
37.6
Kay
1,125
486
432
37.6
Major
1,004
550
548
24.0
Noble
866
407
470
19.7
Woods
861
771
895
36.8
Woodward
802
760
948
26.2
SOURCE:
1974 Census of Agriculture
Harper
121
STUDY UNIT - REGION 5
TABLE VIII
HOUSING
MANUFACTURES
---TOTAL
UNITS
COUNTY
OWNER
OCCUPIED
NEW
UNITS
TOTAL
EST.
20 OR MORE
EMPLOYEES
100 OR MORE
EMPLOYEES
%
%
%
VALUE ADDED BY
MANUFACTURE
(MIL. DOL.)
3~254
80.6
0
7
0
N/A
.6
Ellis
25~582
79.1
X
5
20.0
N/A
D
Garfield
11 ~377
73.3
542
78
23.1
N/A
152.2
Grant
3~303
81.8
X
8
0
N/A
1.0
Harper
2~138
79.1
6
3
0
N/A
D
21~266
74.5
117
78
35.9
N/A
100.8
Major
3~567
80.1
31
8
25.0
N/A
5.4
Noble
4~870
76.1
25
8
25.0
N/A
D
Wood
4~922
72.9
26
14
7.1
N/A
2.4
817
73.7
184
17
17.6
N/A
8.6
Alfalfa
Kay
Woodward
N/A = Not Available
(D) = Withheld to avoid disclosure
----SOURCES:
-_._---
1977 Census of Manufactures
1980 Census of Housing
122
---_.
__._--- ---_.__._------
L
STUDY UNIT - REGION 2
TABLE IX
-------,...---------------MINERAL INDUSTRIES. 1977
ESTABLISHMENTS
TOTAL EMPLOYEES
(l,000)
VALUE OF SHIPMENTS
& RECEIPTS
(MIL. DOL.)
VALUE ADDED IN
MINING
(MIL. DOL. )
Alfalfa
47
.2
44.6
39.5
Ellis
74
.1
38.2
34.9
143
1. 1
165.8
127.2
Grant
55
.1
11.6
27.3
Harper
75
•1
1l0.4
67.1
0
0
0
0
Major
125
.5
121. 3
185.6
Noble
69
.3
17 .8
22.4
Woods
74
.3
35.0
37.9
126
.9
100.6
155.5
COUNTY
--------
Garfield
Kay
Woodward
.
--SOURCE:
----
-------
1977 Census of Mineral Industries
123
J
STUDY UNIT - REGION 2
TABLE X
I
WHOLESALE TRADE
COUNTY
ESTABLISHMENTS
TOTAL SALES
MIL. DOL.
r-
TOP THREE RETAIL TYPES %
RETAIL TRADE
TOTAL
AUTO.
REPAIR,
SERVICES
GARAGES
EATING &
DRINKING
PLACES
GENERAL
MERCH.
GROUP
STORES
---Alfalfa
20
36.3
112
30.3
7.0
D
Ellis
13
8.3
81
32.0
4.5
D
160
724.7
645
20.0
9.0
10.5
Grant
33
31.8
76
14.9
10.1
1.4
Harper
10
D
70
28.7
6.3
D
105
122.7
569
17 .5
7.9
D
Major
26
28.5
95
23.2
5.2
D
Noble
20
27.9
132
22.0
7.5
D
Woods
25
22.6
164
34.1
7.1
8.4
WOOdW~
62
97.8
7.0
5.9
11. 7
Garfield
Kay
SOURCES:
L
1972 Census of Wholesale Trade
1972 Census of Retail Trad-e-
124
240
1
---_._-
STUDY UNIT - REGION 2
TABLE XI
~
..
AGRICULTURE, 1978
COUNTY
~:
ill
TOTAL FARMS
TOTAL ACREAGE
(l,000)
AVERAGE
SIZE OF FARMS
(ACRES)
VALUE OF FARM PRODUCTS
WITH SALES OF 2,510 & OVER
(MIL. DOL.)
Alfalfa
888
512
577
54.4
Ellis
685
710
1,036
20.2
Garfield
1,327
662
499
52.0
Grant
1,004
627
625
45.9
530
611
1,153
52.9
1,086
486
448
38.3
Major
896
532
594
28.0
Noble
775
399
514
24.0
Woods
849
806
949
41.2
Woodward
772
750
971
25.4
Harper
Kay
SOURCE:
1978 Census of Agriculture
125
Local Informants for Study Unit II
------------------------
LOCAL CONTACTS IN STUDY UNIT II
All phone numbers have 405 Area Code
GARFIELD COUNTY
Dr. Bob Herlihy
1305 West Broadway
Enid, OK 73702
Jane Edwards Champlin
612 South Tyler
Enid, OK 73702
Dr. and Mrs. Cleo S. Zambon
1323 West Broadway
Post Office Box 3908
Enid, OK 73702
Fran Nulph, Curator
Cherokee Strip Museum
Enid, OK 73701
Hanna Long
ARCO Oil and Gas
Post Office Box 86
Covington, OK 73730
Ken Paddick
ARCO Oil and Gas
Rural Route 1
Post Office Box 74
Covington, OK 73730
Harold Johnson
730 Seneca
Garber, OK 73738
863-2701
R. C. Wilmot
Rural Route
Covington, OK
864-7684
73730
Bill Edson
4209 Rampart
Enid, OK 73702
David Frickenschmidt
Rural Route 1
Covington, OK 73730
864-7626
129
GARFIELD COUNTY CONTINUED
Phil Snyder
% Covington Grain Elevator
Covington, OK 73730
864-7684
Carl Ebert
407 East Ponca
Garber, OK 73738
Fred Neundorf
702 Canary Lane
Enid, OK 73701
233-7249
Brent Cecil
Post Office Box 455
Garber, OK 73738
Thelma Grogan
501 Cheyenne
Garber, OK 73738
Ted Rogers
720 South Independence
Enid, OK 73701
KAY COUNTY
Dr. and Mrs. Charles W. Alworth
Number 5 Hillcrest
Ponca City, OK 74601
R. L. Bosworth
Number 13 Hillcrest
Ponca City, OK 74601
765-6290
Wallace H. Edwards
Number 13 Hillcrest
Ponca City, OK 74601
Claudine Baughman-Birt
Number 11 Hillcrest
Ponca City, OK 74601
Frank Searcy
Ponca City, OK
765-7189
74601
130
L
KAY COUNTY CONTINUED
Alma Mooney
General Delivery
Ponca City, OK 74601
765-8776
Audrey Vance
General Delivery
Ponca City, OK 74601
765-5611
R. E. McKee
609 East Grand Avenue
Tonkawa, OK 74653
Dr. Jerry Trotter
Number 8 Hillcrest
Ponca City, OK 74601
Dr. William Corbett
Department of History
Northern Oklahoma College
Tonkawa, OK 74653
Dr. Tom Carter
Number 9 Hillcrest
Ponca City, OK 74601
James M. Paris
409 East Grand
Ponca City, OK
765-3303
74601
Glenn E. Paris, Jr.
409 East Grand
Ponca City, OK 74601
765-3303
Glenn E. Paris, Sr.
1001 North 14th Street
Ponca City, OK 74601
762-1033
Virgil Grimm
Post Office Box 151
Ponca City, OK 74601
762-6757
Mike Koster
Number 6 Hillcrest
Ponca City, OK 74601
765-6837
131
KAY COUNTY CONTINUED
Jim Sinderlar
Post Office Box 1450
Ponca City, OK 74601
ELLIS COUNTY
Fred Roper
Rural Route
Arnett, OK 73832
885-2194
Pauline Herber
Shattuck City Library
101 South Main Street
Shattuck, OK 73858
Beulah Hagen
701 South Cedar
Shattuck, OK 73858
938-2137
Levene Spady
General Delivery
Shattuck, OK 73858
938-2347
HARPER COUNTY
Roy Moore
818 West Main
Box 417
Laverne, OK 73848
921-3380 or 921-3901
Hazel Roberts, Curator
Buffalo Museum
203 Northeast Fourth Street
Buffalo, OK 73834
735-2371
Carolyn B. Leonard (Editor of Buffalo Journal)
Post Office Box 470
Buffalo, OK 73834
735-2396
132
HARPER COUNTY CONTINUED
Terry Aldrich
710 Klinger Street
Laverne, OK 73848
921-5290
David Gresinger
ARCO Oil and Gas
Laverne, OK 73848
921-3602
HOODWARD COUNTY
Dolly Robbing
General Delivery
Mooreland, OK 73852
Pete Alley
422 North Elm Street
Mooreland, OK 73852
994-5611
NOBLE COUNTY
Sonny Wheatley
Rural Route
Lucien, OK 73757
MAJOR COUNTY
Jerry Guffey
Rural Route
Fairview, OK
227-3459
73737
ALFALFA COUNTY
City of Cherokee
119 North Grand Avenue
Cherokee, OK 73728
133